Telemedicine robot helps doctors treat patients
Photo: BusinessWire
On Tuesday, InTouch Health and iRobot unveiled a new telemedicine robot to help doctors connect with and treat patients. Named RP-VITA, which stands for Remote Presence Virtual + Independent Telemedicine Assistant, this robot will enable doctors to check up on patients remotely.
It has cameras, microphones, 3-D mapping sensors, and a stethoscope. A video screen allows doctors to chat with patients as if they were having a Skype conversation. The robot can transmit and receive video, audio, and navigation directions. In addition to coming with a stethoscope, RP-VITA can take measurements by connecting to other devices like otoscopes and ultrasound.
Back in January, iRobot (a robotics manufacturer) invested $6 million in InTouch Health, a leader in the field of telemedicine, as an extension of a partnership that dates back to 2011 and allowed them to introduce iRobot Ava as well. RP-VITA reflects a move towards more thorough, effective, and timely care. According to InTouch chief executive Yulun Wang, "telemedicine is about getting the right expertise to the right place at the right time.If a patient has a stroke and comes into the emergency room, you better get a stroke neurologist there quickly." RP-VITA allows doctors to do just that.
[via BusinessWire, Boston Globe]
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com