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Robot hand performs remote breast checks
NewScientist.com news service ^ | 15:41 05 July 2005 | Will Knight

Posted on 07/05/2005 10:45:05 AM PDT by StuLongIsland

Robot hand performs remote breast checks

Life-saving breast examinations could soon be performed by a robotic hand that combines ultrasound with an artificial sense of touch.

The robotic breast examiner was devised by researchers at Michigan State University in the US. They say it will enable a medical specialist to examine women from a remote location, perhaps even from the other side of the world.

"Just because you’re located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan or even Botswana, it doesn’t mean you can’t have a sophisticated diagnostic or therapeutic procedure," says Carol Slomski, a surgeon at Michigan State University, who helped design the system.

The robot hand is remotely controlled by means of a haptic "glove", in which each finger is connected to a motion-sensing device. The operator's hand movements are then measured and sent via a computer to the artificial hand, which almost instantly mimics the operator's moves.

Advantageous combination The robotic grasper also measures the consistency of objects in its grasp by means of feedback to its motors. And this tactile information is fee back to the mechanical glove giving the wearer an artificial sensation of touch.

The arm also incorporates an ultrasound sensor as well as three video cameras, to give the expert a good view of the procedure.

"Having the capability of ultrasound and palpation simultaneously is a major advantage," adds Ranjan Mukherjee, another member of the Michigan team. "Often the ultrasound and exam are done separately. But if the physician can look at the image and feel what he or she is seeing, that’s another huge advantage."

Data delay Mukherjee says the next stage is to conduct clinical trials, which should show how reliable the system is. But he believes it could be five years before the system becomes commercially available.

However, some experts are doubtful that such a system would work in practice. "Tele-operated robots have a big problem with delay," says William Harwin, at the University of Reading in the UK, and the sensitivity of touch is not as good.

He suggests a better way to perform remote examinations is to perform the data gathering and expert analysis one after the other. "A more realistic model in principal is to gather data from the remote site, under direction from the clinical base," he explains, and then transfer it the remote expert, who could then use virtual reality tools to interpret it.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: airportsecurity; robot
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To: Jersey Republican Biker Chick

Wait I am asking a man to think after looking at a Z cup;

I can either pretend they're real, or pretend that PhotShop doesn't exist.

Owl_Eagle

(If what I just wrote makes you sad or angry,

 it was probably sarcasm)

61 posted on 07/05/2005 11:35:45 AM PDT by End Times Sentinel (In Memory of my Dear Friend Henry Lee II)
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To: Owl_Eagle

Why pretend at all, they are HUGE and men love 'em that way.


62 posted on 07/05/2005 11:38:39 AM PDT by Jersey Republican Biker Chick (People too weak to follow their own dreams, will always find a way to discourage yours.)
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To: StuLongIsland

This is gonna be the best prom ever...

63 posted on 07/05/2005 11:42:40 AM PDT by kezekiel
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To: Tennessee_Bob

Dont try that on Granny Og


64 posted on 07/05/2005 11:42:59 AM PDT by Rhadaghast (Yeshua HaMashiach Tzidkaynu)
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To: StuLongIsland

I, Robot.


65 posted on 07/05/2005 11:43:38 AM PDT by cj2a (When you're pathetic, but you don't know you're pathetic, that's really pathetic.)
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To: CharlieOK1

That picture was probably taken at the University of Waterloo. The pink tie is a dead giveaway (it's the official mascot of the Math Faculty)


66 posted on 07/05/2005 11:44:06 AM PDT by Grig
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To: Rhadaghast

LOL! Finally! Someone responds to the tagline!

Try that on Granny Og? No how, no way!


67 posted on 07/05/2005 11:47:48 AM PDT by Tennessee_Bob ("Nac Mac Feegle! The Wee Free Men! Nae king! Nae quin! Nae laird! We willna be fooled again!")
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To: Jersey Republican Biker Chick

Those are not huge, they have zip codes.


68 posted on 07/05/2005 11:49:03 AM PDT by Rhadaghast (Yeshua HaMashiach Tzidkaynu)
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To: StuLongIsland
Life-saving breast examinations could soon be performed by a robotic hand that combines ultrasound with an artificial sense of touch.

"Ooooh. Nice software!"


69 posted on 07/05/2005 11:51:30 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (Remember that great love and great achievements involve great risk)
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To: Steelerfan
"Maria Sharapova"

Uh...y'know the rules dontcha?
70 posted on 07/05/2005 11:51:59 AM PDT by BJClinton (I bend the microphone to the furthest point like a Germanic tribesman)
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To: StuLongIsland

Is this necesary?

Millions in America have learned to do CPR and the Heinlich Maneuver, surely we can teach men and teenage boys to do breast exams.


71 posted on 07/05/2005 11:52:22 AM PDT by TC Rider (The United States Constitution © 1791. All Rights Reserved.)
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To: GoldCountryRedneck

Thermal porn is so-o-o-o hot.


72 posted on 07/05/2005 11:52:45 AM PDT by BJClinton (I bend the microphone to the furthest point like a Germanic tribesman)
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To: WhyisaTexasgirlinPA

Ping! Something for you to anticipate.


73 posted on 07/05/2005 11:53:46 AM PDT by Argh
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To: Owl_Eagle

74 posted on 07/05/2005 11:53:52 AM PDT by traumer
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To: traumer

Lady Liberty does not like being felt up!!!


75 posted on 07/05/2005 11:59:07 AM PDT by Jersey Republican Biker Chick (People too weak to follow their own dreams, will always find a way to discourage yours.)
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To: StuLongIsland
well dang nab it!

just last month i paid all that money for a correspondence course to become a Certified Breast Examiner and now my new career has been outsourced to a stupid robot!

one probably made in china no doubt...

76 posted on 07/05/2005 11:59:26 AM PDT by chilepepper (The map is not the territory -- Alfred Korzybski)
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To: BJClinton; TheBigB

Shoot, you are right but I am HTML impaired. BigB, can you bail me out?


77 posted on 07/05/2005 12:00:10 PM PDT by Steelerfan
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To: Owl_Eagle

Wow! That's a lot of plaid!


78 posted on 07/05/2005 12:00:36 PM PDT by exile (Exile - Helen Thomas tried to lure me into her Gingerbread House.)
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To: Steelerfan

79 posted on 07/05/2005 12:02:32 PM PDT by TheBigB (Would you like extra sarcasm with that?)
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To: Steelerfan; TheBigB
Thanks Mr. B.

Steelerfan, right click on a picture you like, select 'properties' there should be 'location', this is the URL of the pic. Cut n' paste this, substituting the pic's URL for *URL*

<img src="*URL*">
80 posted on 07/05/2005 12:17:09 PM PDT by BJClinton (I bend the microphone to the furthest point like a Germanic tribesman)
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