For Immediate Release Aethon Tug Receives Federal Supply Service Contract Award May 3, 2004—PITTSBURGH—Aethon was awarded a Federal Supply Service contract from the Veterans Affairs National Acquisition Center today for the sale of its Tug robotic delivery system. The Aethon Tug is the world’s first low cost, autonomous indoor transport system. The Tug is a costsaving robot that automates the delivery of goods between the clinical and support departments, as well as patient care units. It not only frees precious clinician and support staff time, but it improves supply chain efficiency. A Tug can haul goods on three shifts, seven days a week, at one-fifth the cost of human labor. Aethon CEO Aldo Zini says “This FSS contract paves the way for VA hospitals to quickly implement this new indoor transport technology which has already proven to reduce costs in some of the nation’s top hospitals.” The Tug is simple to use. Pre-programmed with a map of the facility, the robot can be sent to destinations with the touch of a button. The user puts the delivery on the cart, selects a button for the robot’s destination and then presses “Go”. The Tug automatically travels to its destination, announces that the delivery has arrived and then returns to home base, where it recharges for the next delivery. The Tug summons and rides elevators, opens doors and automatically recharges itself. The Tug uses a matrix of “light whiskers” to detect and avoid people. Aethon’s initial hospital hauling applications include Central Supply (medical supplies), Pharmacy (meds), Clinical Lab (specimens), Dietary (meals) and Nursing (errands to lab, blood bank, pharmacy, dietary etc). About Aethon Aethon (www.aethon.com) is a leader in providing low-cost solutions for automatically hauling materials indoors. Aethon’s Tug uses patented wireless technology to navigate, avoid obstacles, and continuously track and correct its positioning. Based in Pittsburgh, Aethon is named after the mythological horse that pulled Helios’ chariot with the sun as cargo. Return to News & Events | Return Home