Comments on: FDA clears first autonomous telemedicine robot for hospitals

By: Michael

Michael — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 12:25:18 +0000

or if you insist on the tablet route it’s even better and cheaper with a nexus7 or 10. by a LOT.

By: ProfessorZ

ProfessorZ — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 01:11:36 +0000

Good idea, because everyone knows nurses and PAs are cheap and commonly available.

By: ProfessorZ

ProfessorZ — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:57:45 +0000

Are nurses sprayed down after every visit?

By: godot

godot — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 19:11:08 +0000

Doesn’t it bother anyone else that the FDA has usurped authority to approve and license a robot? Is this anywhere near their jurisdiction? Will they next demand to approve google’s self-driving cars?

By: Editor

Editor — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 09:53:21 +0000

I would probably refuse treatment by a monstruous, impersonal machine like this one, but I would welcome a small, friendly device (iPad, iPhone, etc.) that I (or a trusted surrogate) could personally control to some extent and communicate with some degree of personal touch with doctors and other staff.

By: ChrisF

ChrisF — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:33:45 +0000

Oh no, I’d personally love to be treated by a true AI “robo-doc”… but this tech just seems de-humanising for both the patient and the doctor, and doesn’t seem to offer any improvements (other than lower costs). Maybe it’s a necessary first step, but I rather hope that it turns out to be an evolutionary dead-end.

By: Dillon

Dillon — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 04:35:28 +0000

same thing could be said about nurses :P lol

By: Editor

Editor — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 02:26:56 +0000

Yes (http://beta.skype.com/en/features/video-chat/). The iRobot device adds mobility, but that could be accomplished by a nurse or PA carrying a (less intimidating) iPad or ultrabook around, with the added advantages that the iPad could include medical apps, allow for closeup views of the patient, and allow the nurse to add updated information and observations. In addition, patient contact by a live person can be healing, reduce stress, and answer more personal questions that they wouldn’t want to shout out in a room. Or better, why not give patients the iPad (those who want it) and Skype them directly? Could any doctors comment on this? Note: I just added two related links at the bottom of the article.

By: mj

mj — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:38:18 +0000

Does not Skype accomplish the same thing and its free?

By: Whittaker

Whittaker — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 23:29:48 +0000

By saying so you deny the development of artificial intelligence with social ability. The robots need to learn how to interact with people, too, not just being cold and alienating forever.

By: ChrisF

ChrisF — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:58:15 +0000

Plus double the number of patients for each remaining doc to see each day. Yay !

By: ChrisF

ChrisF — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:57:08 +0000

I agree, “innovations” like this feel like a step backwards. Surely this is one area where the human factor is important part of the interaction ? Imagine being stuck in a hospital bed with one these rolling TV screens for company…. a pretty gloomy existence I would imagine

By: Gorden Russell

Gorden Russell — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:40:45 +0000

Right, Dave Torgersen, or even better, the surface of the robot could have a permanent coating of a material that kills germs. Perhaps they could dope a plastic with chlorine?

By: Bucephalos

Bucephalos — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 21:20:30 +0000

Yes, I agree.
Should have a device akin to a shower nozzle (better have many of them) attached to the surface.
And nanotech-based super-slippery surface to expel the germs.

By: Dave Torgersen

Dave Torgersen — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:33:42 +0000

Funny that the prior article is this: “A hydrogel that destroys superbugs and drug-resistant biofilms” http://kurzweilai.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=aad1a7eea269839c7d10845e8&id=9a20c0ca19&e=82567b3390

By: DrDubious

DrDubious — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 20:15:15 +0000

More jobs lost and lower income for those still working.

By: McTruck

McTruck — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 19:38:37 +0000

What about bacteria and germs that are carried by this telepresence system from patient to patient? Shouldn’t it be sprayed down after every visit?

By: Mattgolfs

Mattgolfs — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 18:36:06 +0000

It’s my understanding that doctors many times have to make rounds which include more that one hospital. To take over one of these when available at another hospital all the way across time makes sense. Any docs out there?

By: trakk

trakk — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 17:00:34 +0000

I meant one human generation :) But with regards to telepresence robots, you are right.

By: Whittaker

Whittaker — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:56:32 +0000

They will need sensors of many sort, because the sense of touch is very complex and actually should make the number of senses more than five.
Touch consists of texture, agitation, temperature and electric current.
Therefore we possess more than five senses. Should be 9 or 10.
Jeff Hawkins, in his book “On Intelligence” had in depth discussion on sense of touch. As well, his theory is somewhat similar to the working principles of Ray Kurzweil’s deep-heirarchy.

By: trakk

trakk — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:45:18 +0000

try one generation down

By: Gorden Russell

Gorden Russell — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:31:21 +0000

Perhaps each doctor will have two of these robots, so the doctor can click from one to the other as they leapfrog from one examination room to the next.

Also, sensors have already been developed so that robot hands can “feel” and transmit that feeling to remote waldo gloves worn by the doctor. Our industrious editor here has posted articles about sensors laid under the molded skin of robot hands. I only wish that I had saved them to disk so that I could bring them back to you now, melajara.

By: Bucephalos

Bucephalos — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 15:11:52 +0000

What is shown on the picture is more like a telepresence robot.
But anyways great progress.
Talking about telepresence, I am reminded of the “central station connected to multiple real life locations” in Hans Moravec’s essay “Pigs in Cyberspace”.
Would be great if 3D printers are also installed at the terminals (for the human or virtual being’s exiting) at the real life locations, so that a customized telepresence robot may be produced (for maneuvering in different enviroments, different robots are needed).
I apologize if this comment is off topic.

By: melajara

melajara — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 13:50:09 +0000

@Editor
Here is a video with the same cooperative patient and smiling doctor
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hoAPTpwkFtw

P.S. I’m not convinced by this development. Besides personal acquaintance and reassurance for the patient in talking to the true specialist face to face, smell is an important (neglected) factor in assessing a patient’s health. The poor doctor will have to compensate with the biophysical data relayed by the robot and I hope the robot is able to autonomously navigate from (patient) room to room or the doctor will lose all his time in circum navigation at 2mph

But, true, a few generations down, health care robots will be unavoidable and really practical, so this is only a humble beginning.