Robot Gives Remote Medical Faculty Legs

What a confusing headline. I apologize. Allow me to explain. Suffering from a shortage of faculty, the Nursing Institute of West Central Ohio has added a new member to the nursing educational community. Its name is RP-7™, and it is a Remote Presence Robotic System developed by InTouch Health®.

The robot, in effect, gives legs to remote faculty.

It will allow the professor to move, see, hear and talk as though they were actually with the students. As baby boomer nurses in education approach retirement, this technology will provide them with a new career option. This cutting-edge technology makes it possible for nursing faculty with chronic disorders or disabilities to continue to contribute to nursing education. It provides a seasoned workforce faculty with an option to work while on vacation or in retirement from anywhere in the world.

Judging by appearances, it seems to me that a few days' exposure to the robot might be required before students can tune it out and see the professor instead. Now that these faculty members have mobility, vision, hearing and voice, it does not take too much imagination to envision the addition of touch, in which case the remote nurses and doctors can treat patients as well as teach students.

Via BetterHumans

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