There is some concern in society about the increasing use of robots in various spheres of human life. However, the benefits are much greater. With good training, it is possible to successfully combine the work of humans and mechanical assistants. Here are some interesting examples of real-world applications of robotics in healthcare.

1. Robot surgeons

For the patient, surgery is often an unpleasant and traumatic experience, as waiting lists for certain types of surgeries can be long. Medical institutions often lack labor and specialized specialists. Surgical robots help to partially solve this issue. They are used for complex surgical interventions of the head, neck, and urology. A person always has control over the system, which has greater access to problem areas.

2. Robotic nurses

This type of robot is designed to perform routine actions of nursing staff. They check the patients’ condition, can take blood tests, and alert hospital staff if patients are in critical condition.

3. Robot assistants

The history of their existence goes back 35 years, starting in 1985, when the first such system was launched, specializing in neurosurgery. Over time, systems appeared that were highly specialized devices to support certain stages of surgical operations and were not full-fledged robotic systems. Still, scientists have identified some of their advantages, such as increased accuracy and speed of surgery, excellent ergonomics, and safety against possible infection with hepatitis and HIV.

4. Endoscopic robots and capsules

Robotic endoscopy is a new concept in surgical practice. The Medineering system, which is quite mobile and lightweight, offers a wide range of instruments from biopsy to wound cauterization. In parallel, the field of capsule endoscopy is developing. This method is based on the transmission of images from a camera located in a miniature capsule (placed in the patient’s body) to an external recorder.

According to nauka.ua, robots in medicine perform the following functions.

• Micromanipulation from inside the body (scientists claim that microrobots can be used for targeted delivery of medicines to specific organs, for recording body parameters and diagnosing various diseases. This aspect is currently being actively studied).
• Examination of organs (assistance in conducting endoscopic examinations, minimizing discomfort and risks).
• Assistance in rehabilitation (robots are designed to facilitate patients’ rehabilitation after complex injuries).
• Facilitating the work of medical staff (these robots are used to relieve doctors during epidemic outbreaks and seasonal disease increases, as they can measure temperature, tell about quarantine conditions, etc.)

Change is often scary, but robotics in healthcare has a great future and potential. To take advantage of the benefits and avoid the potential dangers of this technological revolution, we need to keep abreast of the advances that science is making to better prepare and adapt to a near future where robots play an important role and work closely with us.