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Contxto – As someone with one too many friends who work in healthcare, I’m concerned about their exposure to coronavirus (Covid-19)—so it’s robots to the rescue?
Entrepreneurs at Roomie IT have developed a robot prototype to be the first point of contact with potentially infected patients. So rather than expose medical personnel, this tech solution can roll its way through a clinic to ask questions, take temperatures, and even detect shortness of breath.
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The next step is for the robot to undergo test runs with partnering hospitals. And it appears the Roomie IT team is just waiting for the green light because it’s ready to manufacture 100 robots in three months.
Rommie IT evolves to join the fight
Like other organizations and startups, Roomie Bot adapted its pre-existing product to take on Covid-19. The startup had already launched a household robot, dubbed “Roomie Bot.” But now it’s been re-adapted into an assistant for clinics and hospitals.
This model is built with a camera that can identify faces and spaces, so it can navigate its way around. It also interacts by voice and takes a person’s temperature through an infrared thermometer.
Work is also underway so that the robo-helper can detect shortness of breath through a sensor.
AI and robotics in healthcare
Why it’s a big deal: Roomie IT’s robot gives us a glimpse into the future of healthcare.
Tasks, like taking a patient’s temperature and heartbeat, as well as recording their medical history, are activities AI is being prepped to handle. There are even AI programs that offer medical diagnoses. Human doctors use these proposals as reference points when working with their patients.
Don’t panic: This doesn’t mean that AI-powered robots will be replacing doctors or nurses anytime soon.
Amazing as this technology is, it’s still unable to provide the warmth and human touch that patientcare undoubtedly needs. What it does achieve is free up medical staff workloads. That way they can provide more time and attention to each person.
In countries where healthcare professionals are in shortage, robots can provide them (and their patients) some relief.
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-ML
