Sure... eventually... definitely not version 1.0.

It uses IR and US to detect where the veins are and which is best to use in real-time. Without touching the arm, it can see what we can't. Because of that, I imagine it's cleaner and more accurate than a human on average over a given amount of time. In my time drawing blood I did experience vein issues with geriatric and/or severely obese patients on some rare occasions, so a machine like this one would have been tremendously helpful for those patients. Physiological issues aside, my experience is also that many people who have a fear of needles feel justified in being absolute assholes to people with said needles. Maybe their fear overrides their common decency, but I am not sure. In either event, I think these machines would be perfect for those people as well. Particularly since they can't ever see the needle. Maybe a nurse or phleb with more experience than me feels differently.

So they have the ability to see and locate the veins (Blue ran a story on this a few years ago) about how a machine can scan the arm and display the veins in real time (tech was used initirally at children's hospitals).
The issue is that, not all people, not all veins are the same. As someone who's donated blood plasma for 15 years... only 1 time have I had a nerve hit and it's the most unreal pain I've ever endured. So no I'm not letting a robot
draw my blood.

"An accidental limb amputation occurred when...."

After the robot carefully and ever so professionally stabs the wrong needle through your forearm with immovable force, jabbing a major nerve or two, you get an error message on the 6" display screen, the robot's only means of communicating outside itself, "Looks like a software bug, and the error has been sent to the main system for analysis. Please move away from the device and seek out a human operator for assistance! We apologize for any inconvenience." That would be fine advice, except that the clamps holding your arm steady are now locked down and you cannot move away. As you continue to scream at the top of your lungs, the little screen flashes the message continuously, "Seek human assistance!" Then you notice the large note on the door, "Back in 15 minutes!" Yes, sounds like nirvana...;)

Having my blood drawn is a semi-regular occurrence. It doesn't bother me. What bothers some phlebotomists is that I watch. It makes some of them nervous. For what reason, I do not know. I have had good ones and not so good ones. It never really bothers me if it takes multiple attempts. Sometimes they're having an off day and sometimes I'm not hydrated enough or the veins are rolling. Shit happens.

Would I trust a robot to do it? Ehhh. If you can show me that it can draw from the cephalic vein 100 times in a row without blowing the vein out, maybe.

I had that happen once, decades ago. Can't remember the purpose, but I was seated upright and she was honestly 89. Why on earth? Just retire already. I'm guessing it was probably the doctor's mother. By the third poke, I was ready to puke and/or faint. Never experienced such a thing before. Very bad, dreadful, frightening feeling. Retire, dammit! Well, I'm sure she has by now...

By contrast, the locally celebrated donor-poker I requested each time when I used to donate was always painless despite the needle being several times larger. The old hag above is the reason I no longer donate. Can't get up the nerve! She single-handedly scared off gallons of type O negative.

Black, black, black, black number one...

The alpha version is called Rambo First Blood. The final version will be called Dracula.

Of course. Better than an old doddery nurse that misses half a dozen times while making up lame excuses about my veins.