Scientists have created an extremely sensitive, human-mimicking robotic finger capable of conducting routine physical exams with the same level of care as a medical professional. The “RoboDoctor” may soon make its debut in medical clinics.
Doctors’ fingers are versatile tools used to assess various aspects of a patient’s overall health and wellbeing. Medical professionals employ their fingers to palpate, taking a patient’s pulse or detecting irregularities beneath the skin by feeling for abnormal lumps, as well as inserting them into tissues for diagnostic purposes.
Researchers at China’s University of Science and Technology (USTC), specifically from its Division of Precision Equipment and Precision Instrumentation, have developed an innovative, flexible robot resembling a human finger designed for conducting routine medical assessments.
According to the researchers, a bodily examination is undoubtedly one of the most accessible, effective, and reliable methods for identifying early signs of breast cancer, including lumps and other indicative markers. In traditional Chinese medicine, practitioners are trained to take a patient’s pulse on the wrist, known as pulse diagnosis, which provides valuable insights into their cardiovascular health and overall well-being.
Because of the scarcity of trained and experienced physicians, some ailments or threats may not be promptly diagnosed, allowing potential harm to unfold unchecked. The prospect of a physical examination proves daunting for many individuals, particularly when performed by a physician of the opposite gender? Hence, robotic palpation has garnered significant attention from researchers.
Despite the remarkable advancements made by humans, many artificial intelligence systems still struggle to match the intricacies and versatility of the human hand. For the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) team, developing a soft robotic finger capable of tactile sensing comparable to humans, encompassing palpation’s ability to detect abnormalities and proprioception’s capacity to sense motion and site awareness, represents a significant achievement.
Wang et al.
The Bio-Inspired Soft Finger (BSF), comprising a flexible bending actuator and integrated multimodal sensors, is designed to mimic the versatility and tactile sensitivity of human fingers. The soft, flexible device exhibits a semi-circular shape, featuring a PneuNet configuration, which is a type of pneumatic actuator comprising a series of interconnected channels and chambers within an elastic material. When subjected to pressure, the BSF exhibits an inward curvature due to the expansion of internal air chambers. The entire device measures 129 millimeters (5.08 inches) in length.
The proposed bio-signal amplifier features an intuitive design that enables seamless signal processing by simply measuring resistance and inductance at two terminals, thereby facilitating human-like contact notions, the researchers explain. The Bio-Sensor Finger (BSF) can perceive and comprehend rich information about an object’s physical attributes by means of direct interaction.
Researchers evaluated the effectiveness of their BSF in mimicking a physician’s performance of medical palpation procedures. The device may search for and detect lump-like formations within model tissue across a large area. With its advanced sensors and precision engineering, the ‘robofinger’ successfully located an artery in a human subject’s wrist, accurately monitoring pulse activity. The lack of examination into whether the finger was employed for any form of invasive divination was notable in the study.
The researchers asserted that their biomechanical sensor fusion (BSF) technology successfully replicated the tactile experience of a physician, enabling it to accurately detect the stiffness of an object through pressure application and precise robotic manipulation. Moreover, the BSD is mounted on a cutting-edge six-degree-of-freedom robotic arm that enables precise navigation to locate the target artery at a participant’s wrist, allowing for accurate pulse measurement and real-time assessment. These discoveries suggest that a ‘robodoctor’ could potentially conduct physical exams earlier rather than later.
It’s highly improbable that the BSF would encounter the problem of cold arms.
The examination was published in the journal. .
