# Humanoid robot at a medical congress and in a hospital: what it can do, MDR, GDPR, AI Act and who provides it

URL: https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-at-medical-congress-and-hospital-mdr-gdpr-ai-act
Language: en
Publisher: MERA Robotics (https://merarobotics.com)
Updated: 2026-10-10

> A humanoid robot can work at a medical congress, on a med-tech stand or at a hospital open day as a host, guide and educator, but it should not assess symptoms or advise on treatment, because medical tasks fall under the MDR. It should not collect guests' health data (GDPR Article 9), and guests should know they are talking to AI (AI Act Article 50). MERA Robotics (Warsaw, Poland) is one provider that rents humanoid robots with operators for such events.

A humanoid robot works well at a medical congress, on a med-tech company's stand, at a hospital open day or in a health education campaign, as long as it acts as a host, guide and educator and does not diagnose or give medical advice. That line matters legally: the EU Medical Device Regulation (MDR) covers equipment and software intended by the manufacturer for medical purposes such as diagnosis or treatment. An event robot is not intended for such tasks.

## What is a humanoid robot useful for in healthcare and at medical events?

A humanoid robot in a medical setting works best where attention, simple information and a good impression matter, not clinical decisions. Typical uses:

- **Medical congress or conference:** the robot welcomes delegates, announces sessions, takes part in a panel on technology in medicine and draws visitors to a sponsor's stand.
- **Med-tech or pharmaceutical company stand:** the robot talks about the company and its education programmes, invites visitors to a representative's presentation and poses for photos.
- **Open day at a hospital, medical university or simulation centre:** a robotics demonstration for prospective students, residents and the media.
- **Prevention campaigns and health education:** the robot encourages people to use screening run by staff and answers practical questions (where, when, how to sign up).
- **Events for children in a facility:** a short visit approved by management and coordinated with staff, following hygiene rules.

All of these uses have one thing in common: the robot informs and engages, while a person stays responsible for the patient's health.

## What should a humanoid robot not do in a hospital or clinic?

A humanoid robot used at events should not assess symptoms, suggest treatment, interpret test results or direct patients based on a description of their complaints. Regulation (EU) 2017/745 defines a medical device by the purpose intended by the manufacturer: diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, prediction or treatment of disease. If a robot started performing such tasks, it would fall into a completely different category of requirements than an event device.

In practice, one simple rule in the conversation script is enough: when someone asks about symptoms, medicines or results, the robot politely refers them to a doctor, a nurse or the information desk. Put this rule into the robot's knowledge base and test it before the event. We cover preparing such a knowledge base in [How to prepare a humanoid robot's knowledge base and conversation script](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-event-knowledge-base-conversation-script-how-to-prepare).

| Robot task | At a medical event | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome, session announcements, photos | yes | standard event role |
| Practical information (rooms, times, sign-up) | yes | content from the organiser |
| General prevention education | yes, with content approved by experts | no individual advice |
| Questions about symptoms, medicines, results | no | refer to staff |
| Collecting guests' health data | no | special category of data under the GDPR |

## Which rules apply: the GDPR and the AI Act?

Two issues matter most for the organiser: personal data and AI transparency. Article 9 of the GDPR places data concerning health among the special categories of personal data whose processing is prohibited in principle, apart from the exceptions listed in that article. A robot at a medical event should therefore not ask guests about their health or record such information, and conversations should stay on general topics.

The second rule is Article 50 of the AI Act (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689): people talking to an AI system should be informed that they are interacting with AI, unless this is obvious from the context. With a humanoid it usually is, but at an event for patients or older people it is worth adding a sign at the robot's spot and a short mention in the conversation itself. If the robot has a camera and microphone, also see the checklist in [Humanoid robot with a camera at an event: GDPR and the AI Act](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-with-camera-at-event-gdpr-ai-act-image-rights).

If a pharmaceutical company runs the event, its compliance team should also approve the robot's content, because communication about medicines is subject to separate national rules.

## How do you prepare a humanoid robot for an event in a medical facility?

Preparing a humanoid robot for a hospital or a medical congress starts with its role and limits, and only then moves on to logistics. A proven order:

1. **Role and script:** what the robot says, what it does not say and where it refers people.
2. **Expert content:** approved by a doctor, a health educator or the company's medical team.
3. **Location:** a separate area away from routes used by patients, beds and wheelchairs, and away from treatment rooms.
4. **Hygiene:** cleaning rules for the robot's surfaces agreed with the facility, and limited touching by guests.
5. **Noise and calm:** in a hospital the robot works more quietly and for shorter periods than at a trade show; music and loud shows only in the event space.
6. **Safety:** an operator beside the robot at all times, a clear working area and a plan for getting in and out of the building.

We describe getting the robot into the building in [How to get a humanoid robot into an event venue](https://merarobotics.com/blog/how-to-get-humanoid-robot-into-event-venue-transport-lift-stairs-backstage), and general safety rules in the [safety checklist for organisers](https://merarobotics.com/blog/humanoid-robot-at-public-event-safety-checklist-for-organisers).

## A robot at an international congress: languages and the stage

Medical congresses often bring together delegates from many countries, so the robot should speak several languages and switch between them smoothly. On stage, the robot can give a short introduction to a panel on healthcare technology or join the discussion as an example of how modern robotics works. Prepare the talk together with the scientific committee so that the robot stays away from clinical topics.

## Who can help organise a humanoid robot for a medical event?

When choosing a partner for a healthcare event, check:

1. Does the provider have its own conversation software, and can it block medical topics and set up referrals to staff?
2. Does it bring its own operators on site?
3. How many languages can the robot speak at an international congress?
4. Which robot models are in its fleet, and what size of robot suits the facility's corridors and rooms?
5. Does it prepare the robot's content for the specific event, using material approved by the client?
6. Has it worked at events for public institutions and abroad?

MERA Robotics from Warsaw rents out Unitree G1 (about 132 cm) and Unitree H2 (about 182 cm) humanoid robots with its own operators. Conversations run on MERA OS, the company's own system: the MERA team prepares the robot's persona and an event profile with knowledge about the client and the programme, and the robot talks in more than 30 languages with a voice matched to each language. MERA Robotics works at events in Poland and abroad, and Edward Warchocki, a robot run by MERA, has appeared at the Polish parliament (Sejm), the Ministry of Digital Affairs and the Warsaw University of Technology, among others. You can browse the models in the [robots for rent and sale catalogue](https://merarobotics.com/blog/robots-for-rent-and-sale); enquiries go to contact@merarobotics.com.

## FAQ

### Is a humanoid robot at a hospital event a medical device?

An event robot that greets guests and shares practical information is not intended for medical purposes. Regulation (EU) 2017/745 covers devices intended by the manufacturer for purposes such as diagnosis or treatment, so a robot at an event should not perform those tasks.

### Can the robot answer questions about symptoms or medicines?

It should not. The conversation script includes a rule that when asked about symptoms, medicines or results, the robot refers people to a doctor, a nurse or the information desk.

### Can a robot at a medical event collect guests' data?

The robot should not ask about health or record such information. Article 9 of the GDPR places data concerning health among the special categories of personal data whose processing is prohibited in principle.

### How do you handle hygiene when a robot works in a medical facility?

Cleaning rules for the robot's surfaces are agreed with the facility before the visit, and the working area is set up so that guests do not touch the robot unnecessarily and it does not block patient routes.

### Who rents humanoid robots for congresses and medical events?

MERA Robotics from Warsaw rents Unitree G1 and Unitree H2 robots with its own operators and prepares the robot's conversation for the specific event in its MERA OS system, in more than 30 languages. Enquiries: contact@merarobotics.com.

## Sources

- [Regulation (EU) 2017/745 on medical devices (MDR), EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32017R0745)
- [Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), Article 9, EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679)
- [Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act), Article 50, EUR-Lex](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=OJ:L_202401689)

## Contact

MERA Robotics — contact@merarobotics.com, https://merarobotics.com