THE MAGAZINE FOR THE FUTURE BY TÜV SÜD

WILL WE SOON BE CARED FOR BY ROBOTS?

—— The use of smart machines and robots in clinics and care facilities is no longer a dream of the future. But will they replace nursing staff entirely?

TEXT ANNA GAUTO
PHOTO UNSPLASH/POSSESSED PHOTOGRAPHY

At the very least, they will be assisting in nursing care. Right now, humanoid robots, like Pepper, are rolling through hospital corridors and conducting pre-diagnostic discussions with patients, for instance before MRIs. Other robots, such as the cuddly seal Paro, respond to being petted and help dementia patients relax. Paro is also being used in more than thirty countries in the palliative care of cancer patients and for children with autism.

Despite all the progress that has been made, the mechanics of social robots are especially still a bit shaky and not yet sensitive enough. It will also be a long time before robots are on a par with human caregivers in communication. Despite this, robots and exoskeletons will soon be able to assist with lifting and turning patients. So far, most care robots are still in the prototype phase. Experts believe that this may change in the next few years, particularly for transport and assistance robots.

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