Reader Response on Medical Robots (Draft 4)

MEC 1281

Summary Analysis

Draft 4

By Tan Wei Jie

21st March 2021 

 

  According to an article from Case School of Engineering/Case Western Reserve University (2020), it is increasingly common for both interest and funding for medical robots to rise in the field of biomedical engineering. There are benefits for medical robots to be developed and used in healthcare. They can work relentlessly and without anxiety compared to human beings. Their precision capabilities enable them to perform movements beyond the human range of motion. Additionally, they can reduce workload by automating less complex or repetitive tasks, leaving more complicated work to humans. There are currently five medical robots implemented in hospitals and treatment centers. First, the da Vinci® Surgical Robot offers the surgeon an advanced set of instruments to use in performing minimally invasive surgery. Secondly, the Xenex Germ-Zapping Robot disinfects entire hospital rooms in a short amount of time while utilizing UV rays to wipe out a range of harmful bacteria. The next robot is the PARO Therapeutic Robot, which provides stress reduction and provides comfort to post-surgery anxiety or other mental illness. The following medical robot would be the CyberKnife, which offers radiation therapy to patients with tumors with sub-millimeter precision. Lastly, the TUG robot provides transportation of supplies, meals, and other materials around the hospital.

 

 A world of innovation is possible with technology that has gotten more advanced and responsive and made more prominent advances in therapeutic treatment. Biomedical engineering is venturing out to seek new solutions to overcome issues like Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAIs), medical errors, cancer, and mental illness, which has always been difficult to deal with in healthcare.

 

  Another medical robot worth mentioning that the article did not bring up is the robotic exoskeleton. Paralysis has commonly been considered an intractable problem in the medical field. As there is no cure for paralysis, the robotics exoskeleton can be another alternative for patients with such medical issues to walk again. One such example would be ReWalk. This robotic exoskeleton can offer the patient improved mobility and rehabilitation progress and a minor drawback.

 

  One benefit is that the robotics exoskeleton can assist the paralysed patients in their daily activities. According to the article "Helping paralyzed patients..." (2019), the robotics exoskeleton assists the wearer to stand upright, walk, turn, and climbing up and down the stairs. The brace of the exoskeleton is strapped to the patient’s legs which utilized motors and levers to power the movement of the hip and knee. Additionally, the robotics exoskeleton offers some significant benefits like fewer muscle spasms and better bowel control and increases the level of physical activities of the patients. Thus, it provides paralyzed patients with greater mobility and it should enable them to be more independent in their daily life.

 

  Another benefit is that it can also serve as a rehabilitation tool. The article "New programme looks to ..." (2019) states that a robotic exoskeleton suit can help to improve mobility and rehabilitation outcomes of the patient. According to the article, a patient with inflammation of the spinal cord only requires 30 percent of assistance from the exoskeleton after 10 rehabilitation sessions. Yap (2019, as cited in Choo, 2019) states that the suit can be adjustable through the motors at the hip, knee, and ankle and it also offers a more consistent practice of the joint movements. By using the robotics exoskeleton, the patients will be subjected to repetitions of joint movement when moving around which in turn will allow their body to adapt to the stimulus. Hence, it would restore a certain amount of movement to the patient and improve the rehabilitation outcome.

 

  On the other hand, the drawback is patients who have a very limited range of joint motion or have poor upper limb strength will not be suitable for using the robotics exoskeleton for rehabilitation. According to the article "Robotic exoskeletons: The current..." (2018), the patient requires a range of motion within 10-15 degrees in hip mobility and requires less than 10 degrees flexion in a standing position with ankle joints in a neutral position for knee extension. If the patient does not fulfill the requirement, they need to attend an extensive stretching program to improve muscle flexibility around these joints. Therefore, it would delay the condition of the paralyzed patient as they had to attend a stretching program before they can utilize the exoskeleton for rehabilitation.

 

  In conclusion, the ReWalk exoskeleton proves to be an effective solution for paralysed patients. Based on the capabilities it provides, paralyzed patients can regain most of their functional abilities and overcome their disabilities. Even though patients may not recover from paralysis, they can resume their daily life with the assistance of a robotic exoskeleton.

 

References[BFB11] 

Case School of Engineering/Case Western Reserve University. (2020). 5 Medical Robots Making a Difference. https://online-engineering.case.edu/blog/medical-robots-making-a-difference

 

Choo, F. (2019, May 9). New programme looks to develop use of exoskeletons in patient rehab. The Straits Times. https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/health/new-programme-looks-to-develop-use-of-exoskeletons-in-patient-rehab

 

Gorgey, A. S. (2018). Robotic exoskeletons: The current pros and cons. World Journal of Orthopedics, 9(9), 112–119. https://doi.org/10.5312/wjo.v9.i9.112

 

Jaret, P. (2019, August 16). Helping paralyzed patients walk again. AAMC. https://www.aamc.org/news-insights/helping-paralyzed-patients-walk-again