Robotics  

Biomedical technology has taken the next step toward simplifying the colonoscopy process, which is possibly the least-looked-forward-to medical procedure of all time. The current procedure requires the use of a small camera placed at the end of a flexible tube that is then inserted into a patient’s--body. 

A group of scientists have begun the work to minimize the procedure’s discomfort by creating a digestible snake-like robot that would move itself through the digestive system.

The robot, named SAW — single actuator wave-like robot — was built at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel and is evolving into the foreseeable solution for visualizing the insides of both the small and large intestine.

Motion of the Wave

SAW is unlike most moving devices due to its dynamic movement. While most bots have wheels or legs to move, SAW moves using the wave-like motion of its body. This is possible, in part, due to the SAW’s calculate actuator travel life that enables it to move by pushing the area around it. Like a snake that slithers and writhes its body forward, SAW rotates its helix-like shape in a single direction that allows for movement through many interesting terrains.

The intestines are full of many strange, twisting directions that make it difficult for doctors to map patients’ intestines. Conventional medicine uses a swallowable pill-sized camera to help doctors inspect intestines. Unfortunately, this process comes with myriad flaws that make mapping the intestines difficult or impossible. Here are a few of them:

• They require digestion. Since the pill cameras are swallowed, they follow the body’s natural digestion rate to pass. This means it could take 12 hours to see the insides of a patient.
• They can be blocked. It isn’t uncommon for pill cameras to become stuck or blocked inside the intestine. When this happens, doctors and patients run the risk of having the pill camera lose its charge while getting passed.
• They’re only visual. Camera pills can only examine the inside of a patient with a small camera. Ideally, doctors would like to take samples of anything they see in the body, but this isn’t possible — at least not yet.

Big Power in Small Sizes

Currently, the SAW is made of relatively small pieces of interlocking plastic provided by a 3D printer. At its current state, it’s too big to use. The dream of doctors using the SAW is to shrink it down enough to fit in the remarkably thin small intestine. This would give doctors a greater look at something that it’s tough to see — inside the digestive tract.

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The future SAW wouldn’t be made of plastic but of simple biocompatible latex or a rubber substance that can withstand digestion while staying flexible.

The team of engineers and researchers at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev have a great deal of work to do before a useable SAW is released, but the dividends of the work would be well worth the trouble. With a small remote controlled device that would move through natural curves of the body, doctors could conceivably do much more than map internal organs.

Ideas like installing small scalpels to cut tissue samples or electric-cauterizing tools that could possibly stop internal bleeding have already been mentioned. With all the buzz the device is creating, many in the bioengineering world are excited to see where and when the device will become available for testing. The researchers at the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev are getting ready to begin testing on pigs, and, if the results are positive, medical technology will be much better for it.

By  Kayla Matthews	Embed
Kayla Matthews writes about marketing innovation and business solutions for Inc.com, Convince & Convert and WeWork. You can read more posts by Kayla on her blog, Productivity Theory.

Robotics  

The medical field has adopted cutting-edge technology with the next generation of robotics. Doctors and patients are already benefiting from this technology. 

Healthcare today is utilizing a wave of cutting-edge technology with the next generation of robotics. Doctors and patients are the beneficiaries of such devices and they are increasing life spans and prognoses. Four areas have been the focus of this initiative include patient care, diagnostic testing, laboratory, and hospital maintenance. Here is a look at what the most advanced robotic models bring to the table.

Patient Care

Existing robotic innovation and its continued evolution provides exceptional patient care at lower costs and with higher incidents of cure. One example is with surgical intervention at in-patient and out-patient facilities. These new tools provide surgeons the ability to take accuracy to new levels with smaller incisions. Examples of patient benefits include minimal blood loss and fewer days in the hospital. Occupational and physical therapy is also bolstered with patients resuming normal activities faster.

Diagnostic Testing

The revolution in genome mapping uses robotics for patient gene sequencing. This allows physicians to tailor protocols during traditional care and experimental trials. It proactively predicts threats before symptoms present, from existing diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s. Once symptoms do occur, doctors can use specific drugs that are proven to deliver the best outcomes. This technique has been such a boon that a repository is available for providers to use as a baseline for certain demographics and diseases.

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Laboratory

Doctors need test results in a timely manner to start treatments. To meet this expectation, laboratories are another segment of healthcare that has reaped the rewards of robotics like never before. They rely heavily on resources such as automatic supplies like accurate automated colony picking that work seamlessly to deliver results. In addition, ultra-modern instruments from cutting-edge labs like Hudson Robotics take on the role of precisely measuring and processing results with fewer human errors.

Hospital Maintenance

Infection control in the hospital setting continues to be a challenge in a variety of facilities. Robotics is a state-of-the-art option that prevents the spread of germs and infections. Healthcare workers no longer need to be put at risk with the contaminated waste of patients. In some scenarios, robots actually take on some direct care responsibilities for those with Ebola and other highly contagious diseases.

The versatility of robotics from a variety of manufacturers has the medical industry rightfully excited. The newly associated equipment and procedures have the potential to mitigate recovery times, decrease misdiagnosis, and limit the spread of infections. A caveat is the costs of medical care will continue to decline as this evolution grows.

By Brooke Chaplan

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Author Bio - 33rd Square contributor Brooke Chaplan is recent graduate of New Mexico University where she studied journalism. She loves to hike, bike, run and explore around her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She also enjoys blogging about health, fitness, fashion and many other topics.

Robotics  

While you may think that robotics has yet to impact daily life, you may be surprised as to how involved robots are in this modern day and age.

Robotics has expanded what the human race can do, as well as the level of efficiency and capacity we are able to work. But as these autonomous beings become more advanced and capable, work becomes faster and qualitatively better.

Customer Service

All across the globe, restaurants are adding robot technology to their workforce. McDonald's, for example, made headlines when they began putting touch-screen terminals in their physical locations so customers could order faster and even be able to customize their orders right down to the very condiments they want. Other food establishments have employed robots for back-end tasks including making sushi and chopping vegetables.

Law Enforcement

Tactical drones are now being deployed to scout dangerous areas as well as fit through tight spaces where humans cannot. Remote controlled robots can reduce casualties by analyzing suspect locations for any booby traps and armed personnel. Many advanced robots are even programmed to disarm bombs and mines. This reduces the potential harm that befall police officers and special units who face bomb threats and terrorist attacks.

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Medicine

Hospitals and other healthcare facilities are now training robots to distribute medication to intended patients. Some are even trained to sterilize and organize key equipment used for diagnostic procedures and surgical operations. By streamlining these manually intensive processes, hospitals can better serve patients and, as a result, improve longevity of life. Aside from hospitals that care for humans, robots are also finding work in vet clinics where realistic autonomous pets are being used to train veterinary students. The Bolton vet clinic uses some of the same technology in pulmonary and oxygen saturation monitors as they do in hospitals.

Home and Office Maintenance

Households have always been burdened by chores, namely vacuuming floors and sweeping them dry afterwards. Robotic cleaners are now an accessible technology for households who wish to maintain the cleanliness of their home without sacrificing time and effort on a regular basis. Aside from indoor robot cleaners, you've also got those that clean around the property, cutting and mulching grass and even analyzing your pool's filtration system to see its remaining lifespan.

While the science behind robotics remains a gray area for many average Joes, there is no denying that the industry has gradually revolutionized the way we live. Knowing how these unsung heroes operate even at the most basic level can empower people with more knowledge and interest to work in the furthering of the industry.

By Brooke Chaplan

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Author Bio - 33rd Square contributor Brooke Chaplan is recent graduate of New Mexico University where she studied journalism. She loves to hike, bike, run and explore around her home in Los Lunas, New Mexico. She also enjoys blogging about health, fitness, fashion and many other topics.

 Medicine  

Robot use is a very important consideration for the future of medicine, helping to treat patients and improve the overall healthcare system.

Robotic technology is currently being applied in most health facilities with the aim of improving healthcare. This technology has produced positive results on the patients who are suffering from numerous complications and robotic technology is now seen as one of the best options of treating problems such as spinal cord injury.

About robotic technology

Robotic technology can offer solutions to a significant proportion of problems affecting patients such stroke sufferers, amputees and those with mental problems. By 2025, much more medical robotic technology innovation is expected. However, there are four application areas which are on the near horizon and cover a big field of the healthcare. They include:

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• -Development in diagnostics which can be realized through the evolution of multi-functional endoscopic capsule.

• -A revolution in the surgery by robotic systems.

• -Robotic systems in the nursing care so as to support the work of individual professional.

• -Greater independence and autonomy for people with disabilities at home. This can be achieved through introduction of the domestic robots which will be used first for monitoring and later for the support tasks.

Image Source - Wikipedia

It is important to understand that robot systems are very complex in the sense that not all of the required knowledge is available at the right level. This complexity exists in terms of the technologies which have to be fully integrated into a single device and also in terms of the regulation and the implementation in the healthcare. It is vital for many stakeholders to cooperate in the new roles and to take initiatives in supporting the application of robotic technology in the healthcare system.

There are several ethical issues which are also important in relation to robotic technology in healthcare, like the substitution of human contact by machine contact, privacy, and the outcome parameters for the therapeutic interactions of the robots with some patients who have mental disabilities. The concerns surrounding ethical issues needs to be translated into outcome criteria during the development process.

Benefits of Robotic technology in healthcare

• -Robot systems now play a key role in improving the life of people with the spinal cord injuries.

• -This technology also helps in treating patients with mental or cognitive problems

• -Robotic systems are also useful in helping to counteract the shortage of medical personnel.

Healthcare challenges arising from Robotic technology

Many technological and scientific developments are taking place which have raised very high expectations among the public concerning the benefits of the robotic applications in healthcare. Besides that, many of these developments have been linked to the numerous challenges:

• -Robotic systems are difficult to operate on a regular basis and they are also quite expensive. 

• -There are also doubts on whether this new application of the robot system is just but a replacement of the older procedures.

• -There is also a challenge of the limited spread of these robots despite this technology being a field which is really promising.

Actions to be undertaken so as to ensure the success of Robot technology:

• -Robotic systems in healthcare is still in its infancy and research still needs to be undertaken

• -The need to bridge the complex transition from the laboratories to trials and then from trials to the regular healthcare practice.

• -Robot assisted cognitive and social therapy needs to be undertaken.

Robot use is a very important consideration for the future of medicine and can be applied in order to help to treat patients and improve the healthcare system.

By Hannah Brooklyn

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Author bio: Hannah Brooklyn is a student from United Kingdom who loves to travel and write on Health and travel niche. Educating people on Healthy Lifestyles is her keen interest. She engages in all types of outdoor adventure, explores the local way of life. Presently working on Ehic