The medical industry is currently facing major obstacles affecting patient care and operational efficiency. One of the biggest concerns is the occurrence of medical errors, which can have serious consequences for patient safety. This emphasizes the importance of precision and accuracy in diagnosing and treating patients. Furthermore, a global shortage of medical personnel puts a strain on already overburdened healthcare systems and makes it difficult to provide timely and effective care to patients. Inefficient operations within hospitals only add to these challenges.
Experience the future of medicine with vision-enabled robotics. This technology is set to transform healthcare by tackling key challenges head-on. With its unmatched precision, ability to assist in complex surgeries, and potential to streamline hospital operations, vision-enabled robots are not just a glimpse into the future – they are already here, revolutionizing the medical field and paving the way for safer, more efficient, and more accessible healthcare for everyone.
Types of medical robots
Here’s a look at some of the key types of medical robots:
Surgical robots
Surgical robots are the forefront of advanced technology in the medical field. They aid surgeons in performing intricate procedures with greater accuracy, versatility, and command. These robots include two (or more) cameras and finely engineered robotic arms equipped with sterile surgical tools. The surgeon operates the arms while seated at a nearby computer console, utilizing a high-definition 3D image of the surgical site.
Surgical robot
Medical carts
Medical carts, sometimes known as pharmacy robots, are essential tools in large hospitals and pharmacies. They automate the storage, dispensing, returning, and restocking of medications, reducing errors that can occur with manual handling. These robots improve operational efficiency and patient safety by ensuring accurate medication dispensing. They also free up pharmacists and medical staff to focus more on providing quality patient care rather than managing medication logistics.
Telepresence robots
Telepresence robots facilitate remote communication between patients and healthcare providers. They are equipped with a screen, camera, and speakers, enabling live and interactive communication. By navigating hospital corridors and rooms, these robots allow doctors to virtually “visit” patients without being physically present. They are extremely useful in rural or underserved areas where access to medical professionals is limited and improve access to care and timely medical advice.
Disinfection robots
Disinfection robots have become an important tool in maintaining sterile environments in healthcare settings, especially considering global health crises. Using UV light, disinfecting vapors such as hydrogen peroxide, these robots autonomously clean and sterilize rooms, equipment, and surfaces, effectively eliminating bacteria, viruses, and other harmful microorganisms. These robots reduce the risk of hospital-acquired infections and ensure a safer environment for both patients and healthcare workers.
Rehabilitation robots
Rehabilitation and companion robots are specialized machines created to aid in the rehabilitation process of individuals, particularly those who are dealing with old age, trauma, or chronic illnesses. These robots can perform various tasks, such as providing support for mobility, physical and cognitive therapy, and even offering companionship. Some examples include robots that assist stroke patients in regaining arm and hand function, “exoskeleton” robots that assist patients with spinal cord injuries, and social robots that engage with elderly patients to combat feelings of loneliness while promoting participation in therapeutic activities.
Types of medical robots
As in the case of other robots, camera modules help medical robots with the following functions:
- Obstacle detection and autonomous navigation
- Color recognition
- Optical Character Recognition
- Barcode reading
The purpose of the camera depends on the type of robot. For example, in a telepresence robot, cameras are used for navigation and remote communication, and some may be used for OCR or bar code scanning. Similarly, in surgical robots, cameras are the ‘eyes’ of the surgeon, and post processing can result in depth sensing, and magnification.
Embedded processors in medical robots
Medical robotic systems require high-performance embedded processors to handle the required high-throughput processing workloads. Depending on the type of medical robot, the embedded processor may need to simultaneously process video from several cameras, capture data from other sensors, perform some analysis or inference using AI, and use that information to make motor control decisions. For example, to move the robot drive wheels, or change the orientation of a manipulator arm.
There are many different types of robotic applications, each requiring different levels of processing and I/O. TechNexion supplies a variety of processor modules to meet different application requirements.
For example, in some rehabilitation robotic applications requiring one or two cameras, the AXON-IMX8M-PLUS module is a cost-effective and small solution with up to 2.3 TOPS of edge AI processing, superspeed USB support for working with depth cameras, and PCIe support working with 5G modems, high-density mass storage NVME modules.
In other cases, much more processing capability is needed. For this, ROVY-4VM, a TI-TDA4VM-based solution is a ready-to-use edge AI computing module that is specially designed for next-generation robots.
ROVY-4VM
It comes with an AI acceleration power of up to 8 TOPS, which makes it suitable for data-heavy applications.
At the highest end in terms of edge AI processing performance are NVIDIA-based embedded computers such as the TEK6100-ORIN-NX, featuring NVIDIA ORIN-NX modules with up to 100 TOPS edge AI performance.
TechNexion’s portfolio of embedded computing modules and cameras has several solutions like these that work with various kinds of robots such as medical robots.
Medical Robot
Benefits of using robots in medical care
Greater precision and efficiency
Robotic systems provide unparalleled precision, flexibility, and control that surpass human capabilities in surgeries and robot-assisted procedures. This results in smaller incisions, less blood loss, reduced post-operative pain, and faster healing times. This significantly improves patient outcomes and reduces the length of hospital stays.
Enhanced patient safety
Robots are important in reducing human error in many medical tasks, including surgery and medication dispensing. For example, medical carts that automate the drug dispensing process can mitigate medication errors, a major cause of negative events in healthcare environments. Disinfection robots can thoroughly sterilize medical facilities, which effectively lowers the risk of hospital-acquired infections.
Improved access to care
Telepresence robots have the means to overcome geographical barriers in healthcare, making remote consultations and monitoring possible. This is especially advantageous for patients living in rural or underserved areas, as they can receive timely medical advice and consultations without the need to travel long distances.
Operational efficiency
With the help of robots, hospitals can streamline various operations, including administrative tasks and patient care processes. This not only leads to better quality care but also allows healthcare professionals to spend more time interacting with patients and less time on routine tasks. This ultimately improves the overall efficiency of healthcare delivery.
Augmented support for patients and staff
Rehabilitation and companion robots offer vital support to patients during their recovery, providing both physical assistance and social interaction to promote a faster and more enjoyable healing process. These robots can also help medical staff by taking on repetitive, tedious, or physically demanding tasks, allowing them to avoid burnout and focus on patient care and making the important decisions.
Reduction of costs
Although medical robots come with a hefty initial expense, they can ultimately result in significant cost savings. With their ability to reduce hospital stays, decrease the chances of surgical mistakes requiring reoperations, and improve the overall efficiency of healthcare services, robots is a great investment as it has the potential to play a key role in creating more affordable healthcare.
Continuous operation
One of the major advantages of using robots instead of human staff is their ability to work continuously without getting tired and experiencing fatigue. This makes them ideal for high-demand environments like hospitals, where round-the-clock care and services are crucial.
The future of vision-enabled robotics in the medical field
With the integration of camera-enabled robots into the medical field, we expect a major transformation in delivering healthcare services. This technology will bring about increased accuracy, efficiency, and patient-centered care. Here are some specific applications that will benefit from this integration:
Automated/supervised sample collection
This technology utilizes advanced vision and robotics to accurately identify veins, providing a minimally uncomfortable patient experience and reducing the likelihood of errors during blood sample collection. However, one potential challenge is ensuring its accuracy in diverse patient populations and seamlessly integrating it with pre-existing healthcare workflows.
Automated radiation therapy
This technology utilizes precision robotics and real-time imaging to administer radiation therapy, resulting in more accurate targeting of cancerous tissues and minimizing damage to surrounding healthy tissues. This potentially leads to better treatment outcomes. However, implementing this approach poses challenges, requiring advanced imaging and robotics technology that can adapt to each patient’s unique anatomy and account for tumor movement.
Lab test automation with automated diagnosis
This technology integrates robotic sample handling with AI-powered analysis, providing rapid diagnosis for various medical tests. It offers benefits such as improved efficiency and accuracy of lab tests, faster turnaround times for test results, and AI-generated insights to assist clinicians in decision-making. Implementing this technology may pose challenges, such as ensuring the AI systems are trained on diverse datasets to maintain accuracy across different populations and conditions.
Early-stage experimentation areas
Social Robots are currently being developed to provide companionship and assistance to patients in the healthcare industry. This innovative technology combines emotional and social support with advanced AI capabilities, creating a new frontier in healthcare. In this area too, some challenges need to be addressed, such as developing AI that can accurately interpret and respond to human emotions and ensuring safety when operating in a healthcare setting.
How TechNexion can contribute to the medical robotics revolution
Robotics has been one of the key focus areas for TechNexion in the past decade. With a wide variety of solutions including camera modules and embedded computing modules, TechNexion brings to the table a complete suite of solutions needed for developing new-age robots.
Talk to a TechNexion expert today to accelerate your robotic product development with world-class cameras and embedded solutions.
Related Products
Get a Quote
Fill out the details below and one of our representatives will contact you shortly.