Robotic ‘finger’ could perform your next intimate physical exam
Researchers have developed an ultrasensitive, human-like robotic ‘finger’ capable of safely performing routine physical examinations like a medical doctor would. They say the ‘robodoctor’ could be seen in medical clinics soon.
Doctors’ fingers are diagnostic tools used to learn all sorts of things about you and your health. Fingers are used by medical professionals to, for example, take your pulse, to feel around for abnormal lumps in tissues under the skin, and they’re inserted into, well, dark, warm places for diagnostic purposes.
Now, researchers from the Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation at the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC) have created a human-inspired, bendable robotic ‘finger’ to perform routine medical examinations like those listed above.
“Physical examination is one of the most widely available, effective, and safe approaches for detecting early findings of lumps and other signs of breast cancer,” said the researchers. “In traditional Chinese medicine, doctors can take a patient’s pulse at the wrist … to understand his or her cardiac conditions.
