Renting Care Robots: Costs, Benefits, and System Integration

Renting care robots is becoming increasingly attractive for many operators, as it enables the transition from high capital expenditure (CapEx) to predictable operating expenses (OpEx). In an industry suffering from extreme labor shortages, the speed of implementation is decisive. werob does not act as a traditional hardware lessor here, but as a systems integrator that ensures the entire operation. The commercial model is consistently outcome-oriented: outcome-only means that you only pay for performance once the robot is actually serving on the ward.

A key advantage of this model is flexibility. Since werob operates in a hardware-agnostic manner, you are not tied to a single manufacturer. The catalog includes over 44 OEM partners, including renowned manufacturers such as Keenon, Pudu, and Apptronik. Should requirements change on a ward, the werob ecosystem allows a switch to a more suitable model without the operator being stuck with outdated hardware. Customers such as Korian Germany are already using such approaches to realize double-digit cost reductions in the first year.

The biggest bottleneck in the introduction of robotics is often the planning phase. Traditional consulting firms often require three to six months for discovery phases and feasibility studies. werob radically shortens this process through the Spec Engine. Within 48 hours, this system translates your operational workflows into a deployable robot specification. The system draws on data from over 35,000 projects to precisely define which hardware is best suited for which task on which floor.

Whether it is the medication round or the transport of meals, the Spec Engine considers all local conditions such as floor coverings, elevator controls, and Wi-Fi coverage. The result is not a vague concept paper, but a precise requirements profile that is directly matched against the catalog of 280 deployable robots. This automated process ensures that the rented hardware fits exactly the needs of the nursing staff on site and does not end up as expensive toys in the corner.

The decision to rent care robots must make business sense. werob provides concrete numbers from live operations for this. An automated medication round in a care facility leads to annual cost relief of 92,000 euros per site. This sum results from the time savings for the nursing staff, who can focus on direct resident care while the robot is operating. In the area of transport logistics, the savings are also significant: automated transport of laundry or waste relieves the budget by an average of 71,000 euros per year and site.

For larger care groups with multiple locations, these effects scale quickly. A group with four locations and five robots each can achieve annual relief of around 1.8 million euros. werob's outcome-only model ensures that these savings are not eaten up by hidden maintenance costs or integration fees. The focus is solely on the productive time of the robot on site. This turns robotics from a technological experiment into a hard business tool for management.

A robot that does not communicate with the existing software infrastructure creates more work instead of relief. werob solves this problem through pre-built connectors into the operator stack. In the care sector, these are primarily integrations with systems such as PointClickCare and MatrixCare. These interfaces allow the robot to receive information about ward plans, room assignments, or specific tasks directly from the leading system. No manual programming by nursing staff is required.

This depth of integration is a unique selling point of werob. While pure hardware resellers merely deliver the robot, werob builds the digital bridge. This also includes integration with building management systems for controlling elevators and automatic doors. Only when the robot can autonomously switch between floors is the full potential of cost relief realized. The werob cockpit monitors these connections in real time and reports faults before they impede operations.

When renting care robots, legal certainty plays a central role. From January 20, 2027, the new EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 becomes mandatory. Many Asian OEMs currently do not have the necessary conformity assessments for the European market. werob functions as a compliance pathway here. As a systems integrator, werob ensures that all deployed fleets comply with strict European safety standards. This also includes ISO 13482 for personal care robots.

In addition to machinery safety, data protection aspects (GDPR) and the requirements of care home supervisory authorities must be considered. werob assumes regulatory responsibility and ensures that the use of the robots is legally documented. For this purpose, the cockpit offers a four-dimensional traffic light system that, in addition to hardware and infrastructure, permanently monitors the regulatory status of each unit. This gives operators the assurance that they can present all necessary evidence at the push of a button, even during unannounced inspections by authorities.

Time is a critical factor in care. While conventional projects often take years from idea to implementation, werob promises the robot on the floor in eight weeks. This process begins with the 48-hour specification and leads to a binding offer within five days. Once the decision is made, werob takes over the entire logistics, configuration, and integration. Since werob already operates 200 robots in 11 European countries, the processes are highly standardized.

In the eighth week, on-site commissioning takes place. Staff are not burdened with technical complexity but receive a ready-to-use system that immediately takes on the first tasks. Through the live cockpit, werob remains the partner for ongoing operations after installation. If a robot fails or the infrastructure causes problems, the system detects this immediately and initiates countermeasures. This full-service approach is the reason why facilities such as the Hamburg care facility were able to draw a positive balance as early as week 12 after the initial pilot project.

Anyone who ties themselves to a single manufacturer takes a high risk. Development in robotics, particularly with humanoid systems such as those from Apptronik or Figure AI, is progressing rapidly. werob offers protection against technological obsolescence through its hardware agnosticism. With access to over 280 different robot types, werob can select the best hardware for each specific task. Whether a simple service robot for the dining room or a complex humanoid system for assistance tasks, the platform remains the same.

This independence allows werob to provide objective advice and rank OEMs against each other. The focus is not on selling a particular brand, but on fulfilling the operator's specification. When a new, more efficient robot enters the market, it can be seamlessly integrated into the existing fleet, as werob's software layer abstracts the complexity of the various manufacturers. This secures the future viability of the investment and allows continuous optimization of operational processes.

Renting care robots through a systems integrator such as werob is the most efficient way to address the labor shortage while simultaneously reducing costs. Through the combination of fast specification, deep system integration, and regulatory security, the risk for the operator is minimized. The outcome-only model ensures that the economic interests of integrator and operator are perfectly aligned. From initial analysis to productive deployment in eight weeks - this is the new standard for the care industry in Europe.

With the goal of having over 2,000 robots in operation by 2028, werob continuously expands its market leadership as the largest systems integrator. For operators, this means access to a proven ecosystem that goes far beyond merely providing hardware. It is about the transformation of care work through intelligent automation, which relieves where it is most urgently needed: with the repetitive, physically demanding tasks, so that more time remains for people.