Colts use robots to visit children at Riley Hospital


Three of the teams rookies used tablets connected to robots to have personal video chats with kids at the hospital.

INDIANAPOLIS — Members of the Indianapolis Colts often spend their time away from the field bringing smiles to the faces of kids at Riley Hospital for Children. 

They were back in the hospital Monday - virtually, this time.

Monday, Colts rookies Jonathan Taylor, Julian Blackmon and Michael Pittman Jr. visited patients on the hospitals hematology/oncology floor by way of robots. The players conducted video chats with the children on tablets that were connected to robots.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many visitors are restricted from seeing patients at Riley. So with the players watching from the Colts Complex on W. 56th Street, Ohmni Robots brought them up close and personal to the young fans.

The extra-distanced meeting didn’t stop Pittman from playing basketball with a patient named Kenyon or keep a big smile off of a girl named Allie’s face while she talked with Taylor.

“My team in oncology is so thankful for any chance to brighten the days of our patients and their families. Joy matters deeply in long medical journeys,” Dr. Jodi Skiles, Riley Children’s Health pediatric oncologist.

The Colts plan to have more robot visits with Riley Kids throughout the season as long as restrictions remain in place.




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