Akara Robotics

Akara Robotics is a Dublin-based robotics and artificial intelligence company developing technology for hospitals and clinical care settings. Its core offering is an AI platform for operating rooms built around an AI Room Sensor that is placed in the room and passively monitors and records surgical events in real time. The captured data feeds software the company describes as an "air-traffic-controller" layer that coordinates staff and robots, and supports AI agents that automate scheduling and reporting. The platform presents an aggregated view of operating-room activity intended to support operational decision-making and reduce repetitive administrative tasks for clinical staff.

The company also produces Violet, an autonomous ultraviolet disinfection robot that navigates rooms and uses high-intensity UV light to break down viruses and bacteria on surfaces. The company states Violet is clinically validated and enables rooms to be decontaminated substantially faster than manual cleaning. The Akara platform coordinates Violet and other service robots across a facility. Akara's earlier product was Stevie, a social robot developed for nursing homes to run activities such as singing and bingo and to reduce isolation among residents; Stevie appeared on the cover of TIME magazine in 2019 and is now maintained as a research platform.

Founding story

Akara Robotics originated in a Trinity College Dublin research team that built robots from scratch rather than programming off-the-shelf machines, with a focus on healthcare applications. Co-founder Niamh Donnelly, a DCU mechanical and manufacturing engineering graduate who previously worked at Etsy in Dublin and completed a master's degree in AI and machine learning, joined the group as it was spinning out of the university into a commercial entity, initially working on building autonomous functionality for the social robot Stevie.

Business model

Akara develops and supplies both hardware (the AI Room Sensor and the Violet disinfection robot) and the AI software layer, positioning itself as a single provider across the stack. The company states its technology installs in under an hour with no capital expenditure, no refurbishment requirements and no electronic health record integration needed.

The company markets its technology to hospitals on a no-upfront-cost basis, with sales engagement beginning through demo requests.

Traction

Akara's AI Room Sensor was named in TIME magazine's top 100 inventions of 2025. The Violet disinfection robot was being piloted in an Irish hospital as of November 2021. The company states its technology is used by hospitals in Europe and the US. Stevie, the company's social robot, appeared on the cover of TIME magazine in 2019.

Latest developments

Akara has shifted its emphasis to an AI platform for operating rooms that captures surgical event data in real time and coordinates staff and service robots, with its AI Room Sensor recognised in TIME magazine's 2025 top 100 inventions list. Stevie is maintained as a research platform.