Patient Bot Shows and Tells

Japanese scientists at Gifu University have created a bot that responds when asked questions about how it feels, and can move its robotic limbs to exhibit symptoms. Modeled after an adult female, the “patient” was designed for medical students to practice hands-on diagnosing of ailments. As an example, when the bot is suffering from fatigue and muscle weakness, she says her eyelids are heavy, frowns, relaxes her shoulders, then hunches over.

Researcher Yuzo Takahashi is hoping to add the robot to the curriculum within the next year. We were just wondering why it was created in a female likeness. Perhaps more than just being used for medical reasons, a future application for the robo-patient could be for those who just want to “play” doctor.

 

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