Health Care Robotics - Research Paper Example

HEALTH CARE ROBOTICS CONTENTS Number Topic Pages 2 Robotics in medicine and Healthcare 2 3 Societal Needs for Automation in Healthcare 3 4 Robotic Applications in Healthcare 4-5 5 Potential Areas in Healthcare For Robotics 6 4 Bibliography 7 Abstract With the advancement in technology, growth and development the human race is more exposed to chronic diseases. At the same pace new treatments and medication strategies are developed in order to cope up with emerging healthcare problems. The use of robotics to deal with healthcare problems has actually revolutionized the field of medicine itself. Few chronic diseases that could not be treated earlier in past ages are now treated through robotics. Robotics is about automated machine which performs difficult human tasks or activities beyond human capacity. The main concern of robotics is to avoid human interface in areas where accuracy and reliability is needed. Therefore in the field of medicine and healthcare, robotics is assisting functions of healthcare with a view to rehabilitate the suffering ones. In this study the report focuses on the part that robotics is playing in healthcare and medicine. Moreover it also disseminates lights on the growing need of societies and patients today. Then the report discusses the areas of healthcare in which robotics is used efficiently. In the end the study sparks few recommendations on the basis of need; evaluated from healthcare circles where work can be done to introduce robotics and making healthcare systems more efficient, effective and smooth. The huge potential that is still left in the area of healthcare for robotics can be filled with the interest of major stakeholders, this potential concern of healthcare should be given direction of research and development and after that obviously it is the implementation phase that can bring about drastic change in the spectrum of healthcare. 1. Robotics in Medicine and Healthcare Robotics is about the automation of physical work, so in medicines and healthcare there are different types of physical work like surgery, tracking the patients’ status record, logistics transportation in laboratories, medical therapy and medical diagnosis. Not every thing can be achieved through robots at the moment, because robots are programmed and artificial intelligence is in process to destiny. Hence in today’s world of healthcare, robots are mostly used in some repeated or some medicinal specific operations. Medical Robot assisted surgery is something to highlight in healthcare robotics. Minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass surgery is manipulated today by robotics. This surgery is also called as cardiothoracic surgery and with the help of robotics a very small incision is enough for manipulators to perform the surgery controlled by a surgeon via control panel. In this manner the old way of surgery with its defects and dangers can be minimized amazingly with less blood loss, less injury, less time to recovery etc. All types of surgeries are usually executed in a way that the motion of the control panel of the operator is translated by the computer to the manipulator doing the surgery. Robust & Light-Weight Robot is presented at AUTOMATE that will be utilized in effective medical surgery1. A medical robotic system also works on the same principle as in the case of a general robotic system, the principles are sensing, processing and doing some physical form of work. 2. Societal Needs for Automation in HealthCare The healthcare system is over burdened; it is due to the fact that even today as well as in upcoming years there will be increasing demand of health care with relatively low workforce to handle it. Due to World War 2 people aging 65 or above will be in great numbers during 2010-20302. It means increasing healthcare demand but with a lower availability of healthcare resource. Due to worsening environmental conditions along with urban development health statuses of almost all the natives are heavily influenced and thus people are more exposed to jeopardy of rising diseases. Moreover the rural population is thinning in today’s world it is due to the fact that urban areas are hub of all economic and development activities and rural inhabitants are shifting to urban localities therefore increasing demand of healthcare is increasing by the lessening of rural population. While on the other hand if healthcare resources are analyzed, then these resources are not enough to cope up with the increasing demand of health care, since there are limited human trained personnel in hospitals, limited equipments, limited technology etc. therefore tapping healthcare robotics is the only way to deal with this emerging crisis of humanity. Although few circles question the credibility of healthcare robotics placing an argument of dehumanization of human responsibilities but on the other hand they must see the counter conditions if healthcare robotics is not provided a way, circumstances might be more inhumane in terms that there will be no one to look after the suffering ones due to the scarcity of health care resources. 3. Robotic Applications in Healthcare Health Care is a very wide field with activities ranging from prevention to diagnosis, then from diagnosis to rehabilitation treatment, from rehabilitation treatment to surgery, from surgery to professional care and so on. However the applications of healthcare robotics have spread in many medical areas. The robotics system has added worth mentioning values to healthcare sector of society in the form of reducing labor cost by automating logistics activities, by giving self support to vulnerable people up to some level independent so that they can also participate in society, improving quality of healthcare operation and increasing care and introducing activities for healthcare that cannot be performed by humans. The applications of robotics has assisted healthcare in many areas like preventive therapies and diagnosis, mobility for disabled people, enhancing professional care, rehabilitation of patients, and surgical operations. As for the application of robotics in preventive therapies and diagnosis, there are many examples that can be witnessed today, in Europe youth is screened for health issues like breast cancer, and other dental problems. Moreover the automation in physical exercises and machineries are also examples of application of robotics in the area of preventive therapy. Robotized study of motion and coordination for the purpose of diagnosis, smart medical capsules, automated intelligent systems for robustness, and human machine interface for diagnosis are all areas where robotics is used in therapies and diagnosis. As for the application of robotics in mobility of disabled people there are different areas like robots assisting manipulation, robots assisting motion and robotic prosthetics. Robots assisting manipulations are those robots which help disable persons in feeding and other daily life manipulative activities, robots assisting motion are those robots that help disable persons to move from one place to other while robotic prosthetics are specialized types of external body resembling parts that are replaced or implant into the body to enable person to do certain activities. In enhancing professional care there are areas in health care like robotics aid supplies to assist nurses, automated patient analysis and control, automated mechanical activities for care, and automated paramedic activities. In robotics aid supplies to assist nurses there are variety of tasks where robotics is helping like cleaning of patient’s room and hospital, medicine distribution and delivery in time, distribution of food stuff in different departments, and automated inventory management system. In automated mechanical activities for patient’s care, robots can help up to great extend like lifting patient with more comfort and shifting to the desired place. Some sensitive paramedic activities are performed by robots with higher level of accuracy and reliability like bandages across patient leg for the purpose of compression therapy. Robotics for rehabilitation of patients focuses on the core issue of mental and physical disability. Therefore robots working in adjoining areas are robot coordinated physical training therapy, and robot coordinated psychological, cognitive and social therapy. 4. Potential Areas in Healthcare For robotics The applications of robotics in healthcare are well understood however all the areas, which are already under application needs to be tapped with more productive input. Moreover function of scanning body internally through smart capsules can be made more advanced through biomedical imaging. However complete body scanning is not that easy and there are few complex areas associated with this, but through research and development the feasibility about this can be evaluated. Highly innovative and emerging area for healthcare is about the cellular manipulation of body through “micro bots” or even less size robotic devices. Through such technology examination of individual cells would be possible; even more cells will be monitored and if needed these can be destroyed. Moreover these devices might be capable enough to repair the DNA of a body. A new revolution in healthcare is ready along with the achievement of this potential area. However the areas that can be developed through robotics need the collaboration of all stakeholders with right motivation and drive. The major stakeholders in this regard who can contribute well for this cause are government, financers, healthcare providers, professionals in healthcare, manufacturers, suppliers and last but not the least is research and development personnel. The key role is in between research and development personnel, financers, healthcare providers, and government. Government will facilitate research and development personnel, R&D will research and the expenses are to be handled by financers, moreover if a breakthrough is evident then healthcare providers should be open to embrace the technological advancement and change. Bibliography George A. Bekey, Gaurav Suhas Sukhatme. The Path to Autonomous Robots. Springer Science, 2009. Katevas, Nikos. Mobile Robotics in healthcare. IOS press, 2001. Otrompke, John. "Light-Weight Robot Unveiled at AUTOMATE May be Used in Medical-Surgical Applications ." Medical Robotics Magazine 23 March 2011. European Commision. "Robotics For Healthcare." 2008. Satava, Richard M. Interactive technology and the new paradigm for healthcare. n.d. Read More