Platforms acquired
Walker C1 and U1 PRO as resources for development, integration and experimentation.
Innovation & R&D · NM3D
R&D programme in developmentAssistive Robotics for Health and Wellbeing
Technology to support those who care. Presence, communication and assistance centred on people.
We develop humanoid robot applications to support healthcare professionals, caregivers and people receiving care, with human oversight and progressive validation.
Our aim is to complement teams and preserve human relationships in care.
Starting point
Technical expertise. Our own applications.
NM3D has acquired Walker C1 and U1 PRO platforms and is conducting technical R&D and training directly with UBTECH. This stage prepares the development and evaluation of use cases.
Training and R&D underway
Technical development and training directly with UBTECH, focused on integrating and adapting the platforms for care.
Use-case development
Preparing use cases and evaluation protocols with institutions and care teams.
Research platforms
Two platforms. A complementary approach.
Walker C1
A platform for developing in-person interaction, reception, wayfinding and logistics support, with integration and supervision tailored to each setting.
Explore the UBTECH platform ↗
U1 PRO
In the seated configuration acquired by NM3D, U1 PRO is the platform for developing companionship, conversation and social activities from a fixed location, coordinated with caregivers.
Explore the UBTECH platform ↗NM3D contribution
Connect the robot to the reality of care.
This R&D programme aims to develop our own applications and integrations. Challenges include accessible interaction in Portuguese, task oversight, reliable request routing and adaptation to shared environments.
Understand and communicate
Adapt language, pace and interfaces to people; study comprehension errors and acceptance.
Keep the team in control
Plan task confirmation, human intervention, exception handling and auditable records.
Connect with care workflows
Explore integration with authorised systems and suitable devices, minimising data and defining responsibilities.
Proposed use cases
Start with bounded, measurable tasks.
Use cases in development, with clear objectives, defined tasks and joint evaluation with institutional teams.
Companionship and activities
Conversation and caregiver-defined activities. Assess voluntary participation, accessibility, acceptance and intervention needs.
Requests for assistance
Receive a request, route it to the team and confirm receipt. Measure correct routing, timing and failure handling.
Hospital patient wayfinding
Explore Walker C1 to guide patients and companions to reception, appointments or departments along authorised routes. Assess understanding of directions, arrival at the destination and required human intervention.
Support logistics
Explore small non-critical tasks after validating payload, navigation and safety. Compare the cycle with the existing process.
Development focused on hospitals, day centres, residential care and hospital-at-home services.
Project visualizations
The scenarios we want to develop.
Walker C1 and U1 PRO in applications supporting care, with professionals and caregivers at the centre.
Walker C1 and U1 PRO: application scenarios guiding NM3D’s technical development and use-case design.
Proposed validation plan
Build evidence, step by step.
A staged methodology with clear requirements, documented testing and evaluation criteria to guide application development.
01 · Proposed stage
Needs and co-design
Listen to professionals, caregivers and users; select tasks where robot support could be useful.
- Map the existing workflow and difficulties
- Define limits, oversight and accessibility
Evidence to produceRequirements and baseline workflow
02 · Proposed stage
Laboratory proof
Test interactions, requests and routes under controlled conditions before involving people receiving care.
- Repeat scenarios and record failures
- Test confirmation, interruption and recovery
Evidence to produceTechnical protocol and test records
03 · Proposed stage
Supervised pilot
Assess use cases in a setting agreed with the institution, with training and responsible professionals.
- Compare the task with the existing workflow
- Collect feedback and oversight effort
Evidence to producePilot report and proposed improvements
04 · Proposed stage
Demonstration and sharing
Prepare use-case demonstrations and share verifiable findings with care institutions and research organisations.
- Show observed usefulness and limitations
- Define conditions for replication
Evidence to produceEvidence dossier and development roadmap
The plan brings together technology development, institutional collaboration and evaluation in the intended setting.
What we intend to measure
| Dimension | Planned indicators | Evidence to produce |
|---|---|---|
| Reliability | Task completion, errors and interventions | Logs and repeatable tests |
| Usefulness for teams | Task duration and oversight effort | Comparison with the existing process |
| Acceptance and accessibility | Voluntary use, comprehension and feedback | Observation and partner-agreed assessment tools |
| Safety and privacy | Incidents, exceptions and appropriate data handling | Risk assessment, testing and documented decisions |
Evaluation will combine technical and operational indicators with the experience of professionals, caregivers and people receiving care. Targets and methods will be defined in each use-case protocol.
Responsible development
People and professionals at the centre.
We develop assistive robotics to support professionals and caregivers, strengthen communication and facilitate everyday tasks. Human relationships and clinical decisions remain with healthcare teams.
We integrate safety, accessibility and data protection into application design. Pilot preparation includes professional supervision, informed participation and the ethical and regulatory requirements of each setting.
Principles for pilot preparation
People choose
Voluntary, understandable interaction adapted to each person.
Teams remain in control
Bounded tasks, oversight and the ability to stop or refer to a professional.
Requests are followed through
Design receipt confirmation, exception handling and team response.
Data has a purpose
Collect only what is needed, with defined responsibilities and access rules.
Collaboration and demonstrator
Prepare the demonstrator with those who understand care.
NM3D aims to lead a consortium bringing together technology development, scientific expertise and real institutional needs.
Integration and leadership
Application development, integration, technical coordination and preparation for future exploitation.
Research organisations
Robotics, human–robot interaction, human factors and assessment methodology.
Institutions and professionals
Needs definition, use-case design and preparation of supervised pilots.
We are preparing an NM3D-led collaboration to develop, demonstrate and evaluate assistive robotics applications with research organisations and care institutions.
Propose a partnership or use case →In your initial enquiry, describe your organisation and its needs. Do not send health data or identifiers of people receiving care.
Manufacturer technology references: Walker C1 · U1 PRO · UBTECH Healthcare.
NM3D R&D programme · Assistive robotics for health and wellbeing · October 2026.