Robots in medicine. Nanoskin from Stanford University

Scientific robotics is a discipline that involves studying all the features of creating robots. In class, students will learn theoretical basis, history and laws of robots, features of their use in real life.

The word “robot” was first used by the Czech playwright K. Capek in 1921. He spoke of slaves created to fulfill man's desires. The word robota is translated from Czech as “forced slavery.”

Over almost 100 years of development of scientific robotics, major changes have occurred. Robots from the world of science fiction have become reality. Special machines are used in almost all areas of industry, mining, and medicine. The direction itself has become a fascinating tool for gaining new knowledge in various branches of technical sciences and design. Students have the opportunity to realize themselves as designers, technicians and even artists.

Robots in the modern world

Medical robotics is actively developing. Many people imagine a robot as an attentive, always polite, never-tiring doctor. However, today many scientists say that technology cannot replace humans. It helps you cope with routine tasks, for example:

Registration of those seeking help;
- work with electronic cards;
- provision of information.

Quite a lot of robot secretaries have already been created. They are used in various spheres of human life. As part of medical robotics, special machines have also appeared, equipped with special cameras for transporting medicines and documents. Such devices can answer questions and guide clients to the right place.

A good example was the Omnicell M5000. It allows you to optimize the work with medicines in hospitals. The machine creates sets of medications for each patient for a predetermined period. This significantly reduces the risk of human error. The robot can create about 50 sets per hour. At the usual medical personnel In 60 minutes you can make only 4 sets.

Use of robots in industry

Robotics is actively used in industry today. There are three main types:

1. Managed. It is assumed that each action is controlled by an operator.
2. Automatic and semi-automatic. They work strictly according to a given program.
3. Autonomous. Perform sequential actions without human intervention.

   Examples include KUKA KR QUANTEC PA. This is one of the most advanced palletizers. There is a variety that can work at very low temperatures. It was created specifically for operation in large freezers.

   Robotics in industry is also represented by multifunctional devices. For example, Baxter has manipulators that can perform all the same actions as a human hand. An interesting fact is that the machine can independently control the applied effort.

   

   The Stratasys Infinite-Build 3D Demonstrator is another machine that is a hybrid of a robot and a 3D printer. The technology is used in aviation and space production because it can print on horizontal and vertical surfaces of any size.

   Robotics is actively developing in Japan. The RIBA and RIBA-II carers were created in this country. Their main task is to carry patients who cannot walk independently. The machines help them get from bed to wheelchair and vice versa. The robots can bend, and the surface of the hands is created so that the patient feels as comfortable as possible.

   

   An interesting invention is that of scientists at the University of Texas. They gave artificial intelligence schizophrenia. For the experiment, a robot with a neural network that replicated the human brain was used. The machine could not remember or reproduce stories normally. At one point, he even took responsibility for a terrorist attack.

   Special models were created for ordinary people. For example, a child simulator robot. It was also created in Japan. Such a machine can introduce future parents to all the complexities of parenting. He knows how to express emotions, cry, ask for food, etc.

   Achievements in the world of robotics for schoolchildren
   

   Today, robotics clubs in schools can be found in many countries. Parents often buy various devices to attract interest in science. This has led to the introduction of toys on the market that can be programmed to perform various tasks. Let's look at the most interesting ones:

4. Sphero 2. and Ollie. Designed for children over 8 years old. The robot toy is almost impossible to break. She is not afraid of water and can swim. Controlled from a smartphone or tablet.
5. KIBO. Quite simple in appearance constructor. It allows you to learn programming. It works as follows: scans marks on wooden cubes. Each inscription represents a specific action.
6. LEGO Education WeDo. A robot that you can create yourself. The kit contains everything you need for full operation. You can purchase additional items to expand the capabilities of the machine.

   Usually, at robotics clubs at school, students are asked to assemble their first controlled device on their own. This not only delights most children, but also provides an opportunity to gain new knowledge.

   Robotics for children in Solnechnogorsk
   

   Today, the number of clubs where you can gain new knowledge in the most advanced areas is impressive. Robotics in Solnechnogorsk, for example, attracts both children preschool age, and teenagers. Perhaps they will be the ones behind the real breakthrough in the world of robots in the future. Teachers keep up with all the new products and constantly educate themselves. This allows them and the children to keep up with the times.

   Robotics in Solnechnogorsk, as in other cities, has a more educational focus. Today, the main task is to interest children of all ages and teach them to apply theoretical knowledge in practice.

   Robotics for children in Solnechnogorsk involves small groups, the opportunity to receive individual consultations and the use of full-fledged constructors in the work. Additionally, children learn to work with LEDs, 3D modeling, and soldering. Training always begins with the basics of assembly. As the material is mastered, the basics of programming and design are given.

Robotics today is conquering various fields in which, it would seem, people will always work. One of these areas is medicine. Today robots do complex operations or replace organs vital to humans. So, we present to you 10 medical robots.

Cue

Biologist Ayub Khattak and designer Clint Sever have created a device that should help people who feel unwell. The Cue device, which analyzes the health status of its user, has compact dimensions, which simplifies its everyday use. On this moment Cue shows the level of vitamin D, testosterone, and can also determine a person’s ability to reproduce. In addition, the device detects the presence of diseases such as HIV and influenza in its owner. In order to carry out the analysis, a sample of the user's saliva, blood or mucous membrane must be placed in a special cartridge. The analysis is performed within a few minutes.

Ubot-5

A robot has been created at the University of Massachusetts to help people survive the consequences of a stroke. Thus, in 2013, Ubot-5 helped a 72-year-old man with heart problems recover. The robot can assess the patient’s speech condition, as well as perform physical therapy on the patient. Based on the results of the Ubot-5 robot, the patient was identified positive effect both in the area of ​​movement and in the area of ​​speech of the patient.

Argus II

Second Sight has developed a device that can partially restore vision to the blind. First, a special electrode array must be implanted. In addition, it is necessary sunglasses with a miniature video camera. The image that falls into the lens of this video camera is transmitted to the visual processor, which is located on the user's belt. Next, the visual processor sends the image data to the glasses in the form of 60-pixel black and white images, which in turn are transmitted to the matrices mentioned above. The electrodes of these matrices affect photoreceptors and cells that transmit signals from photoreceptors to optic nerve. Of course, Argus II transmits images to the user in the form of rather rough forms, but this device helps the blind to navigate in space.

Lightbot

Designers from the Japanese company NSK have created a guide robot, Lightbot, capable of helping blind people, as well as people with mobility problems. Lightbot navigates the surrounding world using a three-dimensional sensor. The robot can recognize obstacles and moves up and down stairs. Thanks to wheels, Lightbot can not only walk, but also drive. By the way, the speed of the robot depends on the speed of the person using it.

Robocast

Scientists from the UK, Germany, Italy and Israel have created a robotic system called Robocast to help neurosurgeons. The main task of this system is to help during brain trepanation operations. As you know, this operation is extremely dangerous and time-consuming: a mistake of a millimeter can lead to irreversible brain damage. Robocast has a “brain-computer” system, which includes an automatic tool path planner, a control mechanism with feedback, a set of sensors surgical field, microcontrollers and two robots. In this way, the large robot controls its small colleague, places it in the required place and coordinates it in the desired direction. A small robot is needed for implementation surgical instrument into the patient's brain. In addition, Robocast can always be switched to manual control.

Veebot

An ordinary doctor does not always hit the vein the first time. So Mountain View created the Veebot robot to collect blood. The robot locates the vein in the patient's arm using a camera, special software and infrared illumination, and Weebot also examines the vein using ultrasound. Thus, the robot determines that the thickness of the vein is sufficient for a puncture.

7 Finger Robot

Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created a special device that increases the number of fingers on a hand to seven. First of all, extra fingers are intended for people who have to use only one hand. The movements of the mechanical fingers are controlled by the user's biological fingers. In other words, the extra fingers copy the movements that a person makes (for example, a grasping movement). Also, thanks to their servomotors, the additional fingers are capable of developing force equal to that of normal fingers.

Robot caregiver VGo

The American company Vgo Communication has created a robotic nurse for patients, which has been tested in one of the Boston children's hospitals. The main tasks of the VGo robot are to help patients recover and also provide them with communication with the outside world. For example, thanks to the VGo robot, children undergoing treatment in a hospital can attend school remotely. In addition, the robot allows the hospital administration to monitor the activities of its subordinates. VGo is 164 centimeters tall and moves on four wheels. VGo can also do blood tests for patients.

Amigo

Scientists at the University of Leicester (UK) have designed a medical robot, Amigo, whose task is to treat cardiac arrhythmia. The robot can help doctors insert a catheter into damaged areas of the heart. Amigo is also able to give the patient a glass of water. The robot is connected to a single network that unites a variety of robots around the world. The purpose of this network is to combine information about the capabilities of robots, as well as to create software and navigation maps, which should make these robots more accessible to use.

Jukusui-Kun

Dr. Kabe, who works in the laboratory of Japan's Waseda University, has created a robotic pillow called Jukusui-Kun. The pillow looks like a soft bear toy. The main users of Jukusui-Kun are people suffering from the syndrome sleep apnea. During sleep, such people experience difficulty breathing - they are tormented by chronic snoring. The robotic pillow comes with a wireless sensor that is placed under the sheet, a wireless sensor that is attached to the patient's finger, and a microphone. The pillow analyzes the user's state during sleep, noise level, movements of the sleeper, as well as the amount of oxygen in the blood. Jakusui-Kun reacts to the movements of the sleeping person by stroking, after which the person takes the position most favorable for sleep.

Today, research groups around the world are trying to figure out the concept of using robots in medicine. Although it would probably be more correct to say “already found it.” Judging by the number of developments and the interest of various scientific groups, it can be argued that the creation of medical microrobots has become the main direction. This also includes robots with the prefix “nano-”. Moreover, the first successes in this area were achieved relatively recently, just eight years ago.

In 2006, a group of researchers led by Sylvain Martel conducted the world's first successful experiment by launching a tiny robot the size of a fountain pen ball into carotid artery live pig. At the same time, the robot moved along all the “waypoints” assigned to it. And over the years since then, microrobotics has advanced somewhat.

One of the main goals for engineers today is to create medical robots that will be able to move not only large arteries, but also in relatively narrow blood vessels. This would allow complex species treatment without such traumatic surgery.

But this is far from the only potential advantage of microrobots. Primarily, they would be useful in treating cancer by specifically delivering the drug directly to malignant formation. The value of this opportunity is difficult to overestimate: during chemotherapy, drugs are given through an IV, causing a severe blow to the entire body. In fact, it is a strong poison that damages many internal organs and, for company, the tumor itself. This is comparable to carpet bombing to destroy a small single target.

The task of creating such microrobots is at the intersection of a number of scientific disciplines. For example, from the point of view of physics - how to make such a small object move independently in a viscous liquid, which for it is blood? From an engineering point of view, how to provide a robot with energy and how to track the movement of a tiny object throughout the body? From a biological point of view, what materials should be used to make robots so that they do not harm the human body? And ideally, robots should be biodegradable, so that the problem of removing them from the body does not have to be solved.

One example of how microrobots can “contaminate” a patient’s body is the “biorocket.”

This version of the microrobot is a titanium core surrounded by an aluminum shell. The robot diameter is 20 microns. Aluminum reacts with water, during which hydrogen bubbles form on the surface of the shell, which push the entire structure. In water, such a “biorocket” floats in one second a distance equal to 150 of its diameters. This can be compared to a two-meter tall person who swims 300 meters in a second, 12 pools. Such a chemical engine runs for about 5 minutes thanks to the addition of gallium, which reduces the intensity of the formation of the oxide film. That is, the maximum power reserve is about 900 mm in water. The direction of movement is given to the robot externally magnetic field, and it can be used for targeted drug delivery. But only after the “charge” has dried up, the patient will find a scattering of microballs with an aluminum shell, which does not have a beneficial effect on the human body, unlike biologically neutral titanium.

Microrobots must be so small that it is easy to scale up to the right size traditional technologies will not work. No standard parts suitable size They don't produce either. And even if they did, they simply would not be suitable for such specific needs. And therefore, researchers, as has happened many times in the history of inventions, seek inspiration from nature. For example, in the same bacteria. At the micro, and even more so at the nanoscale, completely different physical laws apply. In particular, water is a very viscous liquid. Therefore, it is necessary to apply other engineering solutions to ensure the movement of microrobots. Bacteria often solve this problem with the help of cilia.

Earlier this year, a team of researchers from the University of Toronto created a prototype of a 1mm-long microrobot, controlled by an external magnetic field and equipped with two grippers. The developers managed to build a bridge with its help. Also, this robot can be used not only for drug delivery, but also for mechanical tissue repair in circulatory system and organs.

Muscular robots

Another interesting direction in microrobotics is robots driven by muscles. For example, there is such a project: a muscle cell stimulated by electricity, to which a robot is attached, whose “spine” is made of hydrogel.

This system essentially copies a natural solution found in the bodies of many mammals. For example, in the human body, muscle contractions are transmitted to bones through tendons. In this biorobot, when a cell contracts under the influence of electricity, the “ridge” bends and the transverse bars, which act as legs, are attracted to each other. If one of them moves a shorter distance when bending the “ridge”, then the robot moves towards this “leg”.

There is another vision of what medical microrobots should be: soft, repeating the shapes of various living beings. For example, here is a robotic bee (RoboBee).

True, it is not intended for medical purposes, but for a number of others: plant pollination, search and rescue operations, detection toxic substances. The authors of the project, of course, do not copy blindly anatomical features bees. Instead, they carefully analyze all sorts of “designs” of organisms of various insects, adapting and implementing them in mechanics.

Or another example of the use of “structures” available in nature - a microrobot in the form of a bivalve mollusk. It moves by flapping the flaps, thereby creating a jet stream. At about 1mm in size, it can float inside a human eyeball. Like most other medical robots, this “mollusk” uses an external magnetic field as an energy source. But there is an important difference - it only receives energy for movement, the field itself does not move it, unlike most other types of microrobots.

Big robots

Of course, with only microrobots the park medical equipment not limited. In science fiction films and books, medical robots are usually presented as replacements for human surgeons. Like, this is some kind of large device that quickly and very accurately performs all kinds of surgical manipulations. And it is not surprising that this idea was one of the first to be implemented. Of course, modern surgical robots are not capable of replacing a person entirely, but they are already fully trusted for stitching. They are also used as an extension of the surgeon's hands, as manipulators.

However, debates continue in the medical community regarding the advisability of using such machines. Many experts are of the opinion that such robots do not provide any special benefits, and due to their high price, they significantly increase the cost of medical services. On the other hand, there is a study according to which patients with prostate cancer who underwent surgery with a robot assistant, less intensive use is required in the future hormonal drugs and radiotherapy. In general, it is not surprising that the efforts of many scientists were aimed at creating microrobots.

An interesting project is Robonaut, a telemedicine robot designed to assist astronauts. This is still an experimental project, but this approach can be used not only to provide training to such important and expensive people as astronauts. Telemedicine robots can also be used to provide assistance in various hard-to-reach areas. Of course, this will only be advisable if it is cheaper to install a robot in the infirmary of some remote taiga or mountain village than to keep a paramedic on the payroll.

And this medical robot is even more highly specialized; it is used to treat baldness. ARTAS is engaged in automatic "digging" hair follicles from the patient's scalp, based on high-resolution photographs. A human doctor then manually injects the “harvest” into the bald areas.

Still, the world of medical robots is not at all as monotonous as it might seem to an inexperienced person. Moreover, it is actively developing, ideas and experimental results are being accumulated, and the most effective approaches are being sought. And who knows, perhaps in our lifetime the word “surgeon” will mean a doctor not with a scalpel, but with a jar of microrobots that will only need to be swallowed or introduced through an IV.

In my last post about telemedicine there was a mention of the Da Vinci robot surgeon, of which about 1000 were installed in the world as of 2010. But this is far from the only achievement of robotics used in medicine.

In what areas and for what are robots used? In surgery, as caregivers for children and the elderly, in telemedicine and even for drug delivery. More details - please, under the hack.

RIBA

The robot Riba comes from Japan. It was introduced in 2009. Its main purpose is, with the help of its long and strong hands rock sick and elderly people to sleep. This great helper in clinics, as it can transfer patients from place to place, or from a wheelchair to a bed.

RIBA II was introduced in 2009. This version of the robot can lift patients directly from the floor, whereas the first robot could only pick them up from a stroller or bed. Also, the load capacity has increased to 176 pounds, that is, about 80 kg, which is 41 pounds, or 18.5 kg more than in the first version.

Why do the Japanese even need such a robot? It's all about longevity. In Japan, by 2015, the number of elderly people who will need care is projected to reach five and a half million people. Just imagine how many nurses and orderlies will have to lift patients every day from a futon to a wheelchair, from a wheelchair to a bed, back, and so on. Robots are better suited for these purposes, and let nurses do their job - just take care of the elderly.

And this robot is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as “The most therapeutic robot in the world.” It is equipped with many sensors - touch, light, sound, temperature and position. This is necessary for good communication with the patient and helps to calm the patient.

Keepon does the same thing, but I think it's less cute. He dances and reacts to touch.

Robot on hand

Another way to relieve nurses from routine work, occupying their time with more useful things is a robot from Murata Machinery Ltd, designed to dispense medicines.

Panasonic's robot is also designed to deliver medications from the pharmacy to patients. The first version of this robot could already store information about 400 patients and dispense medications in accordance with the prescription upon request of the patient or nurse.

Telepresence

Returning to the issue of telemedicine (which on Habré, judging by the comments, is considered TV shows with Malysheva), it is worth mentioning telepresence robots. These are complexes capable of moving independently, equipped with cameras, displays, speakers and microphones, and in addition to them - tools for diagnostics and analysis. Such means can be either the ability to connect to devices, for example ultrasound, or built-in devices - for example, for blood analysis.

IN Russian realities the use of such robots is almost impossible, because we have problems with ramps everywhere - both at the entrance to clinics and inside them. So the robot will be able to move only within one floor at most, and at least within a room, unable to overcome a hefty threshold.

PR-7

Vgo - control is carried out via 4G.

Surgery

PUMA 560 was the first robot used in neurosurgery. This is a robot assistant introduced in 1985.

In orthopedics, RoboDoc began to be used for joint replacement in 1992.

Later assistants Zeus and Aesop appeared, but still the main one actor There was a surgeon during the operation. In the late 1990s, this changed with the advent of Da Vinci, a robot for remote surgery.

The surgeon at the console sees the area in 3D format with multiple magnification and works with joysticks. At this time, the four-armed robot performs the operation. Initially, the image was not three-dimensional, of course, but then this problem was solved.

Transformers Minute: ARES from Italian scientists is designed to carry out operations without damaging skin. Because the patient swallows it in parts, and it also comes out through the intestines. Inside, the robot assembles itself, after which the surgeon performs the operation.

Training: Patient Simulators

Sending living patients to newcomers is not very humane. It's much better to practice first on robots that can handle natural needs, which have a beating heart and are more or less human-like.

The most functional robot of this type is considered to be HPS (Human Patient Simulator). It stores 30 different patient profiles, differing in physiology and individual reactions to medications. These could be profiles healthy child a pregnant woman and an elderly alcoholic. The pulse palpable on the carotid, brachial, femoral, radial popliteal arteries changes depending on the pressure, the robot exhales carbon dioxide, which is displayed on monitors, and his pupils react to light.

It's the same story with dentists. Stop cutting up poor people with bad teeth! Train on cats first. In the photo - Hanako 2, originally from Japan, which is immediately obvious.

Please write in the comments what other robots should be in this publication.

All more people in the world they fear that sooner or later their position will be abolished, and robots will do the work for them. Does this prospect threaten doctors? In the near future - unlikely. Despite the fact that mechanical assistants do not experience emotions and do not get tired, their reactions are difficult situations much inferior to human ones. And a doctor is exactly the profession where you need to make responsible decisions in conditions of uncertainty: each organism is too individual, too many things can go wrong.

Therefore, a full-fledged robot doctor is still a fantasy. This, however, does not at all prevent doctors and scientists conducting research in near-medical fields from using robots in their tails and manes.

Undoubtedly, if we talk about robots in medicine, the first thing we should mention is the da Vinci system. These robots were among the pioneers of automated surgery, their prototype was developed in the late 1980s.

Da Vinci is both a surgeon and an assistant. The medical operator controls the machine's manipulators, observing its actions through a special camera. Such operations are extremely expensive - the robot itself costs a lot, and the consumables for it are also expensive, but it has the highest precision, and an experienced surgeon-operator is able to create miracles with it.

In Russia, da Vinci systems have been used since 2007 - for example, such a robot is in the Novosibirsk clinic named after. Meshalkin, - but they did not gain much popularity (as you might guess, because of the price). In the spring of 2017, Russian scientists announced that they were able to construct a similar robot, which is even better than the original, but this development also requires huge financial investments - at least in order to put its production on a commercial basis.

The da Vinci robotic surgeon is completely controlled by the operator, but now more independent analogues have appeared. Perhaps the peak of robotic independence can be called a recent case in China - where a mechanical dentist performed an hour-long operation to install two implants completely alone, human doctors only observed without interfering. The installation error was minimal. Although I wonder how the patient felt? Still, sometimes the human factor is more of a plus than a minus.

However, there is no need to worry about the qualifications of Chinese robots - in the fall, a robot developed by local craftsmen with artificial intelligence I passed the exam to become a doctor and, by the way, scored 96 points more than required to pass (456 against the norm of 350).

Interlocutor and builder

The functions of robots can be very diverse. Let's say there is a robot psychotherapist who chats with patients using machine learning technologies. He is in high demand - more than two million consultations per week. Perhaps this is due to the fact that people are unpleasant that a specialist can somehow evaluate their behavior, but with a robot such a situation will never arise.

There is a nanobuilder robot - he can build “houses” from molecules. Maybe it sounds stupid, but in fact this tiny little thing (you need to build a million of them on top of each other for this tower to reach a millimeter height) has a huge future. Let's say she can build from a molecular formula the right medicine- Yes, in general he can build anything. It has just appeared and the production of such devices has not yet been put into production, but it is likely that someday they will be used everywhere. They are controlled, if anything, not by buttons, but by chemical signals.

Another recently introduced robot is a mechanism that helps not the entire heart contract, but only half of it. Often heart failure affects only part of the heart, so why spend extra resources on the healthy part? In such cases, a special mechanism may well be useful - it looks like the letter E, where the semicircle “hugs” the part affected by the disease and helps it beat, and the middle stick acts as an anchor so that the robot does not crawl away.

Speaking of crawling, robots are not necessarily technically sophisticated. Recently, data from a study was published in which a robotic model of a baby made of foil was used. Scientists used it to check how many allergens and other rubbish a child inhales while crawling on a carpet, compared to an adult who walks on the same carpet with their feet. The results of the study, frankly, are better not to know.

In general, you can talk endlessly about robots in medicine, and while you are talking about one thing, they are inventing another, a third, a fifth. All of these robots ultimately benefit patients, either directly or indirectly. With the help of various devices, doctors are gaining more and more opportunities, but without humans these robots are useless, so it is unlikely that the fate of the planet Shelezyaki awaits us.

Ksenia Yakushina

Photo istockphoto.com