When the first robot was invented in the early 1950s, no one could have envisioned how prominent of a role robots would play in almost every industry. Even just a decade or two ago, the idea of robotic doctors treating patients would have seemed more like a scene from ‘The Jetsons’ than a portrait of reality. Technology moves fast, though, and the rate at which it changes our world can oftentimes be head-spinning. Today, robots already perform a broad range of functions within the healthcare industry. In the not-too-distant future, the idea of robots conducting patient examinations in addition to any number of other tasks typically performed by doctors and nurses is a very real possibility.
Current Uses of Robotics Within the Medical Industry
The use of robots within the medical industry isn’t some far future concept. In fact, robots already play important roles in numerous facets of the medical industry. Like every other manufacturing industry, the manufacturing side of healthcare is completely dominated by robotics. Almost every medicine and medical product imaginable is produced predominantly via automated processes.
It isn’t just the manufacturing side of healthcare where robots are taking over, though. Perhaps the most recognizable example of robots within the medical industry is surgical robots. These incredible machines enable surgeons to perform operations remotely using robotic arms that exhibit immensely more fine-motor control than even the most skilled surgeons on the planet. Since 1985, when the first robotic surgery was performed, robotic surgeons have been used to performing countless operations, including cancer removal, kidney transplants, hysterectomies, and more.
Other current uses of robots within the medical industry that are still in their infancy give us a glimpse as to what the future might hold in store. Cyberdyne’s Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) exoskeleton, for example, is used to help patients rehabilitate from conditions such as strokes and spinal cord injuries that lead to lower limb disorders by aiding them with the movement of their joints. Aethon’s TUG autonomous mobile robot, meanwhile, is a hospital robot designed to perform tasks such as delivering medications and transporting laboratory specimens. Xenex is another company that has created a robot designed to automate a time-consuming task within hospitals. Their robot makes use of a pulsed xenon light in order to disinfect patient rooms and is already in use at over 400 hospitals.
These examples are all instances of medical robots that have not yet gained widespread adoption. However, the fact that companies are pouring billions of dollars into robots such as these and the fact that numerous hospitals are already putting them to use tells us that the trend of robots in the medical industry isn’t likely to slow down anytime soon.
The Future of Robotic Healthcare
One area where robots have yet to really penetrate the medical industry is conducting visits with patients. However, the idea of using robots to replace doctors and nurses during patient visits and examinations is far from far-fetched. Using robots to limit face-to-face encounters between patients and healthcare providers is something that became especially appealing in the COVID-19 era. While the necessary technology was not readily available enough to make robots a feasible solution for limiting the risk of healthcare providers and reducing the virus’s spread, these objectives have certainly spurred a lot of interest in robotic doctors.
There are currently several different companies working on robots that are designed to perform tasks such as conducting examinations, drawing blood, checking vitals, and any other number of in-person tasks typically performed by doctors and nurses. This includes companies such as Toyota, Honda, AIST, RIKEN, and many more. In addition to helping prevent the spread of infectious diseases, it is also hoped that these care robots will help fill the gap in places where there is a shortage of healthcare workers. Japan, for instance, is one country in dire need of a larger healthcare workforce and is subsequently one of the countries investing the most in robotic doctors.
In the future, it is a very real possibility that we will see robots take over a variety of roles within hospitals and clinics all over the world. As the popularity of telemedicine continues to grow, robot doctors have the potential to serve as a useful touch-point in instances where a videoconference alone is inadequate. In addition to meeting with patients, though, there is really no limit to the number of healthcare functions that robots could soon perform. A hospital that uses robots to clean and sanitize rooms, uses robots to conduct patient examinations, and uses robots to transport important materials around the hospital could someday soon become a reality.
Conclusion
The era of robots within the medical industry is only beginning, and the possibilities that the near future might hold in store are nothing short of astounding. At Bikham Healthcare, we are dedicated to helping healthcare practices navigate the current landscape of healthcare while at the same time helping them prepare for the future. To learn more about the industry-leading services we provide, feel free to contact us today.
