Robots help improve eldercare

Thanks to the advancement of new technology, doctors may be able to use robots to treat their patients from miles away. The New York Times reports that mobile robots are being used in many hospitals across the United States so that doctors can still monitor patients when they cannot be there in person.


According to the news source, the robots are about five feet tall and include a monitor on top. The doctor's face appears on the screen, and this can allow them to make quick decisions on what steps to take, or what medication to administer.

While this technology had been in use before for video conferencing, this is the first time it's been seen in the medical field.


"Most of the existing videoconferencing technology is designed for meetings," Pamela J Hinds, co-director at the Centre for Work, Technology and Organisation at Stanford University, told the news provider. "That is not where most work gets done."


Along with being used in hospitals, early trials are underway to use them in assisted living facilities to provide better care for older adults. According to the National Center for Assisted Living, this advancement could be good news for the more than 900,000 residents currently staying in assisted living facilities.


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