Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Sick Patient Robot Does More Than Say 'Ah'
A robotic "sick patient" has been created by researchers at Gifu University’s Graduate School of Medicine. They claim that this is the first robot patient that is able to both respond verbally to questions about how it feels, as well as move its body in ways that exhibit the symptoms of disease.
(Robotic Patient Shows Sick Behaviors)
The intent is to provide students with an opportunity to have the closest thing possible to hands-on experience with rare medical conditions. For example, when suffering from myasthenia gravis — an often misdiagnosed neuromuscular disease leading to muscle weakness and fatigue — the robot tells the doctor its eyelids are heavy, and it changes its facial expression, slowly relaxes its shoulders and hunches forward.
"It was difficult to get the shoulder joints and shoulder blades to move like a human,” says researcher Yuzo Takahashi. “In the future, we want to program the robot with more symptoms and create a very realistic learning tool.”
This robot, which may seem a bit farfetched (after all, what's wrong with learning from real patients), could nevertheless serve a real need. Medical students in a teaching hospital rotate quickly through each specialty; they only see those conditions that are present in the patients who happen to be in the hospital at that time. A versatile patient robot could model a much wider range of conditions than a small hospital might see in a month.
On the other hand, physicians would point out that each patient "presents" differently; there is a range for Parkinson's, ALS and so forth. Perhaps the roboticists who created the "sick patient" robot could also program in a variety of sets of symptoms for each disease.
Robots are making many contributions to the field of medicine:
- Beetle-Sized Robot Roams Your Body
The robot is designed to enter the body through a small incision. - First Powered Robotic Ankle Prosthesis
MIT Media Lab director Hugh Herr, himself a double-amputee, demonstrated the world's first powered robotic ankle. - Stroke Rehabilitation By Howard, The Robotic Hand
A robotic therapy device that may help people regain normal strength and use of their hands following a stroke.
Via Pink Tentacle.
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 5/15/2007)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Robotics ")
Mornine Sales Robot
'Robot-salesmen were everywhere, gesturing...' - Philip K Dick, 1954.
Bipedal Robot Floats Gently While Walking
'a walking balloon proceeded with long strides of its aluminum legs...' - George Parsons Lathrup, 1897.
YES!! Remote Teleoperated Robots predicted by Technovelgy!
'...a misshapen, many-tentacled thing about twice the size of a man.'
Will Robots Ever Fold Landry?
Where have you gone, Mrs. Robinson?
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Jetson ONE Air Races Begin, Can Air Polo Be Far Behind?
'If you're one of those rarities who haven't attended a rocket-polo "carnage", let me tell you it's a colorful affair.'
Will Space Stations Have Large Interior Spaces Again?
'They filed clumsily into the battleroom, like children in a swimming pool for the first time, clinging to the handholds along the side.'
Mornine Sales Robot
'Robot-salesmen were everywhere, gesturing...'
Bipedal Robot Floats Gently While Walking
'a walking balloon proceeded with long strides of its aluminum legs...'
Musk Idea Of Cars Talking To Each Other Predicted 70 Years Ago
'My cars talk to one another.'
Elegant Bivouac Shelter Produces Water And Electricity
'There was nowhere on the planet where science and technology could not provide one with a comfortable home...'
X-Control Janus-1 A Suitcase Aircraft
'You will notice that it... fits the suitcase nicely.'
'AI Assistants' Are Actually Less Reliable For News
'Most men updated their PIP on New Year's Day...'
YES!! Remote Teleoperated Robots predicted by Technovelgy!
'...a misshapen, many-tentacled thing about twice the size of a man.'
Will Robots Ever Fold Landry?
Where have you gone, Mrs. Robinson?
Will AIs Give Better Results If You're Rude To Them?
'I said, "Listen up, motherf*cker.'
Cybertruck Robotic Arm F10 Drone Launch!
Drone away!
Black Fungus Blocks Radiation
'You were surrounded by Astrophage most of the time'
Liuzhi Process Now In Use In China
'He was in a high-ceilinged windowless cell with walls of glittering white porcelain.'
Reflect Orbital Offers 'Sunlight on Demand' And Light Pollution
'I don't have to tell you about the seven two-mile-diameter orbital mirrors...'
Will Robots Become Family Caregivers?
'The robant and the tiny old woman entered the control room slowly...'
