Although the technological solutions for embedding robotics are plenty, its advantages are not used to the full extent in the healthcare sector. The euRobotics’ Topic Group on Healthcare Robotics aims to facilitate the roadmapping process for robotics in healthcare across Europe.
Although the technological solutions for embedding robotics are plenty, its advantages are not used to the full extent in the healthcare sector. More progressive and quality-based person-centric healthcare is needed to overcome the limitations. Long-term mapping based on understanding of the field is desirable, and the topic group consisting of participants from all over Europe with different backgrounds covering the full innovation chain addresses this crucial process.
The Topic Group Healthcare Robotics aims to facilitate the roadmapping process for robotics in healthcare across Europe. The group defines a set of goals for technical developments and their interdependencies along the future time axis. In addition, it matches the relevance of these goals with respect to requirements for the paradigm-shift in healthcare, societal needs, and future market opportunities.
Opportunities and bottlenecks as well as ramifications for the organisation of healthcare and requirements for training are discussed considering Diagnostics, Intervention, Rehabilitation, Support of Patients and Support of Healthcare Professionals.
The diversity in robotics serves a variety of applications but is increasing the challenging factor too in the field. Introducing stable hands, efficiency, less personal interaction are all benefits which robotics can offer to the field of healthcare. Safety during the patient workflows has to be guaranteed by regulation, but more creative and new innovations also deserve a new perspective on current legislation to avoid innovation being blocked. “Anxiety” of being replaced by robotic solutions limits sometimes fruitful discussion on all possible solutions. Supervising therapy, not replacing doctors with a focus on guidance is so much more promising, and understanding of operation in difficult to reach environments or facing low temperature or radiation exposure.
Developments in the field of Big Data, and AI (Artificial Intelligence) will provide more access to “intelligent” data and together with developments in connectivity related to 6G broaden the spectrum for robotic applications as well. Decentralisation of treatments using teleconsultation and telediagnosis will occur, while highly specialised and invasive treatment can be centralised. Robotics is of crucial value in these shifts. In addition, developments related to miniaturisation, using small actuators even to micro and nanoscale injections is opening a new spectrum of opportunities.
Join our initiative and support us in creating the future of Healthcare Robotics!
ERF2022 – do not forget to follow our activities! Healthcare robotics is represented in the upcoming ERF2022 with two interesting workshops, https://erf2022.eu/programme
Author: Françoise Siepel, coordinator of the TG-Healthcare Robotics