| Find out how robotics is a rapidly expanding | | | | activities in a much shorter time span. |
| portion of medical treatments. | | | | Surgical procedures aren't the only place robotics |
| Robotics in medicine is producing great results in | | | | can be used in medicine. Developers are |
| many ways, especially in the area of surgery. The | | | | continuously working on new ways to allow |
| term robotics means the use of a robot to | | | | robotics to perform tasks. One area that's |
| perform various functions. A robot has movable | | | | especially promising in the control of disease and |
| physical structure, a power source, a sensor | | | | the prevention of diseases being spread. Areas |
| system, and a computerized "brain" to control | | | | that could be harmful for hospital personnel can |
| activities. | | | | be sterilized by using robotics. Some other types |
| Surgeons of the future will use robotics to | | | | of procedures are sterilizing floors, delivering lab |
| perform surgical tasks. Robotics still requires the | | | | specimens, pulling patients on stretchers to rooms. |
| expertise of the surgeon to operate, but the | | | | Advocates of using more robotics in medicine feel |
| instruments used by robotics improve the control, | | | | that the benefits far outweigh any negative |
| the precision, as well as often minimize the | | | | constraints. However, in some instances the |
| invasiveness of surgical procedures. | | | | question of the patient's emotional state has been |
| Robotics is being used for things like gall bladder | | | | questioned. Most people feel more secure when |
| surgery, endoscopy, and many other surgeries. | | | | being transported by a human than having a robot |
| Basically, here's how robotics surgery works. The | | | | transport them. There are other instances where |
| surgeon looks into a viewfinder to see images | | | | human interaction can have a positive effect on |
| being sent by a camera that's inside the patient. | | | | the patient. |
| Images show the surgical site and the surgical | | | | How far will the loss of human interaction go in |
| instruments. Controls, much like a joystick are | | | | the medical community? At this point, it seems |
| used by the surgeon to manipulate the | | | | there will be little attention paid to the humanistic |
| instruments and perform the surgery. | | | | side of using robotics in medicine. Obviously, in |
| Patients with robotics surgery have smaller | | | | areas where the patient is virtually unaware, as |
| incisions, shorter hospital stays, and normally | | | | during surgery, there is little reason not to employ |
| faster recovery time. This reduces costs and | | | | robotics. |
| gives the patient the ability to return to normal | | | | |