22717 AI-supported robots in healthcare

Abstract

AI-supported robots in healthcare 17.1 Introduction and motivationFor more than two decades, various types of robots have been supporting and relieving clinical healthcare professionals in their diverse and often strenuous activities.Surgeons, physicians, nurses, laboratory technicians as well as patients benefit equally from this technological development.In surgery, tele-mainpulated robots have become widely established for precision procedures such as prostatectomies [1] or are used for robot-supported medical imaging [2].Mobile autonomous platforms [3] take over the transportation of food, laundry, medication and empty beds over long distances in healthcare facilities such as hospitals, outpatient clinics and retirement and nursing homes.Within the field of sports and exercise medicine, robotic systems support the rehabilitation process by motivating, guiding and accompanying patients during exercises [4].Within laboratory medicine, autonomous robots increase the throughput, efficiency and accuracy of processes, particularly in the handling and processing of tissue and cell samples [5].Finally, so-called social robots are specially designed to interact with people and provide emotional support in retirement and nursing homes, to reduce loneliness and promote social interactions [6].These examples illustrate, that robotic systems of various characteristics and manifold applications are already established across the wide field of healthcare.Nevertheless, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in form of deep neural networks and large language models into healthcare has in the past ten years been transforming the medical landscape.Many AI-based applications are purely virtual, such as e.g.image-based diagnostics in radiology [7] and digital pathology [8] or making prognostic predictions in hospital wards [9].However, as the human body exists in a physical world, many diagnostic and therapeutic procedures require physical interaction with the human body.Diagnostic palpation, ultrasound imaging, interventional endoscopy, obtaining biopsies or tumor resection are just a few examples of interventions necessitating direct contact with a patient's body.In these cases, robots can serve as embodiments of AI-based systems [10], enabling them to interact with the physical world and equally facilitating complex medical procedures at or within the patient's bodies.These physical interactions are multifaceted, involving not only the patient's physique, but also medical tools and devices, the clinical staff, as well as also other robots or machinery.As a result, robotic systems are essential for bringing AI to healthcare in the physical world, hence bridging the gap between virtual intelligence and real-world applications.However, embodiments of AI in the form of robots also raises new and unique ethical considerations, which extend beyond the technical challenges of developing and implementing these systems.Therefore, this chapter will delve into the ethics of

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