Science & Technology

Remote-operated doctor prepares for action

By T.K. Randall
July 2, 2017 ·  1 comment

Would you go to see a robotic doctor ? Image Credit: CC BY-SA 3.0 Stethoscopes Currently residing in a hospital in Poland, the medical robot, which can be operated by an actual doctor from a remote location, has been generating quite a buzz in the medical community.

"The robot at the remote site has different force, humidity and temperature sensors, all capturing information that a doctor would get when they are directly palpating (physically examining) a patient," said robotics researcher Professor Angelika Peer.

The robot is equipped with a special haptic feedback system to enable a doctor to 'touch' a patient remotely while an ultrasonic scanner provides important data about their general health."The system allows a doctor from a remote location to do a first assessment of a patient and make a decision about what should be done, whether to transfer them to hospital or undergo certain treatments," said Professor Peer.

The system could prove invaluable for diagnosing patients who live in remote areas where it can take several hours to transfer someone to a doctor's office or hospital.

If all goes to plan, robotic doctors could start to see widespread use within the next few years.

Source: Phys.org | Comments (1)

Tags: Robot