I. Main Functions of Medical Robots
Medical robots can recognize their surroundings and themselves—they possess robot consciousness and self-awareness—and perform medical or assistive medical work.
II. Basic Types of Medical Robots
There are many types of medical robots, which can be classified according to their purpose, such as clinical medical robots, nursing robots, medical teaching robots, and robots that serve people with disabilities.
1. Hospital Delivery Robots: Intelligent delivery robots primarily handle tasks such as delivering medication and meals to isolation areas, as well as collecting linens and medical waste within the hospital. Through intelligent scheduling at a central control center, they can autonomously open and close doors, take elevators, avoid obstacles, and recharge, requiring no human intervention. Ultraviolet disinfection lamps are installed in the cabinets to maintain the safety of the cabinets and their contents at all times. The robots also possess remote real-time voice and video communication capabilities, allowing them to communicate directly with nurses or patients in isolation wards through the scheduling system. Medication delivery robots can replace nurses in delivering meals, medical records, and lab reports.
2. Patient transport: Patient transport robots primarily assist nurses in moving or transporting paralyzed or immobile patients;
3. Clinical Medicine: Clinical medical robots include surgical robots and diagnostic and therapeutic robots, capable of performing precise surgeries or diagnoses, such as Japan's WAPRU-4 thoracic tumor diagnostic robot. American scientists are developing a surgical robot called the "da Vinci System," which has received FDA certification. It has four mechanical tentacles. Under the control of doctors, the "da Vinci System" precisely performs heart valve repair surgery and cancerous tissue removal surgery. NASA plans to conduct medical robot operation experiments on its underwater laboratory and space shuttle. At that time, doctors will be able to control underwater and space surgeries from a computer on land.
The US medical robots will also be used in the military field. In 2005, the US military invested $12 million in research on a "battlefield trauma treatment system." This robotic device is installed in tanks and armored vehicles. During wartime, the robot can perform simple surgeries on the wounded and stabilize their condition while awaiting rescue, based on instructions from doctors at headquarters.
4. Robots for people with disabilities: Robots for people with disabilities, also known as rehabilitation robots, can help people with disabilities regain their ability to live independently, such as the Prab Command system in the United States.
5. Nursing Robots: British scientists are developing a nursing robot to alleviate the heavy and tedious work of nursing staff. The newly developed robot will help healthcare workers identify patients and accurately dispense necessary medications. In the future, the robot will also be able to check patients' temperatures, clean wards, and even help doctors understand patients' conditions in a timely manner through video transmission.
6. Medical Teaching Robots: Medical teaching robots are ideal teaching tools. American medical staff currently use a teaching robot called "Noel," which can simulate a pregnant woman about to give birth and can even speak and scream. By simulating real childbirth, it helps improve the surgical coordination and on-site response of obstetric and gynecological medical staff.
