Human-Robot Medical Interaction

Advances in Soft Robotics, Haptics, AI and simulation have changed the medical robotics field, allowing robotics technologies to be deployed in medical environments. In this context, the relationship between doctors, robotics devices, and patients is fundamental, as only with the synergetic collaboration of the three parties results in medical robotics can be achieved. This workshop focuses on the use of soft robotics technologies, sensing, AI and Simulation, to further improve medical practitioner training, as well as the creation of new tools for diagnosis and healthcare through the medical interaction of humans and robots. The Robo-patient is more specifically the idea behind the creation of sensorised robotic patient with controllable organs to present a given set of physiological conditions. This is both to investigate the embodied nature of haptic interaction in physical examination, as well as the doctor-patient relationship to further improve medical practice through robotics technologies. The Robo-doctor aspect is also relevant, with robotics prototypes performing, or helping to perform, medical diagnosis. In the workshop, key technologies as well as future views in the field will be discussed both by expert and new upcoming researchers.