A medical robot is a

robot A robot is a machine—especially one Computer program, programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions Automation, automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the robot control, co ...

used in the

medical science Medicine is the science and practice of caring for patients, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care pra ...

s. They include

surgical robots Surgery is a medical specialty that uses manual and instrumental techniques to diagnose or treat pathological conditions (e.g., trauma, disease, injury, malignancy), to alter bodily functions (e.g., malabsorption created by bariatric surgery s ...

. These are in most

telemanipulator A remote manipulator, also known as a telefactor, telemanipulator, or waldo (after the 1942 short story " Waldo" by Robert A. Heinlein which features a man who invents and uses such devices), is a device which, through electronic, hydraulic, or ...

s, which use the surgeon's activators on one side to control the "effector" on the other side.

Types

Surgical robots Surgery is a medical specialty that uses manual and instrumental techniques to diagnose or treat pathological conditions (e.g., trauma, disease, injury, malignancy), to alter bodily functions (e.g., malabsorption created by bariatric surgery s ...

: These robots either allow surgical operations to be carried out with better precision than an unaided human surgeon or allow

remote surgery Remote surgery (also known as cybersurgery or telesurgery) is the ability for a doctor to perform surgery on a patient even though they are not physically in the same location. It is a form of telepresence. A robot surgical system generally cons ...

where a human surgeon is not physically present with the patient. *

Rehabilitation robots Rehabilitation or Rehab may refer to: Health * Rehabilitation (neuropsychology), therapy to regain or improve neurocognitive function that has been lost or diminished * Rehabilitation hospital, hospitals devoted to the rehabilitation of patients w ...

: It facilitates and support the lives of infirm, elderly people, or those with dysfunction of body parts affecting movement. These robots are also used for rehabilitation and related procedures, such as training and therapy. *

Biorobots Biorobotics is an interdisciplinary science that combines the fields of biomedical engineering, cybernetics, and robotics to develop new technologies that integrate biology with mechanical systems to develop more efficient communication, alter ...

: A group of robots designed to imitate the cognition of humans and animals. *

Telepresence robots Telerobotics is the area of robotics concerned with the control of semi-autonomous robots from a distance, chiefly using television, wireless networks (like Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and the Deep Space Network) or tethered connections. It is a combinatio ...

: It allows off-site medical professionals to move, look around, communicate, and participate from remote locations. *

Pharmacy automation Pharmacy automation involves the mechanical processes of handling and distributing medications. Any pharmacy task may be involved, including counting small objects (e.g., tablets, capsules); measuring and mixing powders and liquids for compound ...

: Robotic systems to dispense oral solids in a retail pharmacy setting or preparing sterile IV admixtures in a hospital pharmacy setting. *

Companion robot A companion robot is a robot created to create real or apparent companionship for human beings. Target markets for companion robots include the elderly and single children. Companions robots are expected to communicate with non-experts in a natu ...

: It has the capability to engage emotionally with users keeping them company and alerting if there is a problem with their health. *

Disinfection robot A medical robot is a robot used in the medical sciences. They include surgical robots. These are in most telemanipulators, which use the surgeon's activators on one side to control the "effector" on the other side. Types * Surgical robots: The ...

: It has the capability to

disinfect A disinfectant is a chemical substance or compound used to inactivate or destroy microorganisms on inert surfaces. Disinfection does not necessarily kill all microorganisms, especially resistant endospore, bacterial spores; it is less effect ...

a whole room in mere minutes, generally using pulsed

ultraviolet light Ultraviolet radiation, also known as simply UV, is electromagnetic radiation of wavelengths of 10–400 nanometers, shorter than that of visible light, but longer than X-rays. UV radiation is present in sunlight and constitutes about 10% of th ...

. They are being used to fight

Ebola virus disease Ebola, also known as Ebola virus disease (EVD) and Ebola hemorrhagic fever (EHF), is a viral hemorrhagic fever in humans and other primates, caused by ebolaviruses. Symptoms typically start anywhere between two days and three weeks after infe ...

. * Hospital robots - With a pre-programmed layout of their environment and built-in sensors, hospital robots deliver medications, meals and specimens around hospitals. * Robotic prosthetics - Focuses on providing their wearers with life-like limb functionality. * Laboratory robots - Types of robots found in labs are specially designed to either automate processes or assist lab technicians in completing repetitive tasks.

References

External links

Medical Robotics Text Book

Medical Robots Conference

Where Are the Elder Care Robots?

Notable Chinese Firms Emerging in Medical Robots Sector
(

IEEE The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) is an American 501(c)(3) organization, 501(c)(3) public charity professional organization for electrical engineering, electronics engineering, and other related disciplines. The IEEE ...

)
Medical Robots- Towards Robotics
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Medical robots A medical robot is a robot used in the medical sciences. They include Robotic surgery, surgical robots. These are in most telemanipulators, which use the surgeon's activators on one side to control the "effector" on the other side. Types * Robot ...

Types

See also

References

External links