The Friday robo-alert: Five ways robots are invading hospitals

[grow_thumb image=”https://telecareaware.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/ri-man.png” thumb_width=”150″ /]Having watched the delightful ‘Forbidden Planet’ (1956) on Turner Classic Movies last night, marking the debut of the robot paragon Robby the Robot, this overview of hospital robotics from VentureBeat is on point. No Robbies here (despite our picture, this article does not cover robots that lift or design dresses with options of diamonds, emeralds or star sapphires) but does highlight:

• Germ and infection reduction (the ultraviolet Xenex)
• Remote consult robots (iRobot’s RP-VITA, now FDA approved)
• Prosthetics (BioOM prosthetic ankle)
• Surgical robots
• Therapeutic robots for the elderly (PARO, which is a ‘1.0’)

Previously in TTA: RP-VITA’s FDA approval and profile; prosthetic advances, surgical microgripping robots and BriteSeed’s SafeSnips; the debate on the $6,000 PARO; better and more affordable robots and aids for older adults such as GeriJoy (virtual pet) and Clevermind (stimulation); and the vast area of humanoid robots such as Roboy, Hector and Kompaï. (Or just search ‘robots’ in TTA for our wealth of coverage.)