Part man, part machine, all doc

By Karen Hebert Bristol

Robodoc, a robot that aids communication with off-site doctors, is now doing the rounds at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, United States. Although Robodoc cannot inspect, palpate, percuss, or auscultate, it enables an off-site doctor to have quick and easy access to a patient.

Officially called The Companion, Robodoc resembles a big vacuum cleaner with a flat television screen on top and allows the doctor to communicate with a patient via a mounted camera, speaker, screen, and broadband connection. The doctor can control and move the robot with a joystick. He or she can then see and talk to the patient and the patient can see the doctor's face on the screen.

Robodoc's creator, In Touch Health, a medical robotics company, claim that although Robodoc is not intended to replace a doctor, it can be used in remote areas or difficult situations to access patients more quickly and easily.

Robodoc: Going where no doctor wants to go.

Robodoc has visited 20 patients. Louis Kavoussi, professor in urology at Johns Hopkins Hospital and also a board member of In Touch Health, has used the robot. "Generally, the robot has been used to check up on patients in between when they would normally see a physician. During these visits, we ask them about how they are feeling, inspect their surgical sites to ensure they are healing properly, and answer any questions they have." He added: "When it comes into the room patients laugh. But patients love it. I was very surprised how much our patients enjoy remote video interactions via the robot."