>>> ALL RIGHT. WE’RE BACK WITH MORE OF TODAY’S
ROBOT REVOLUTION, TURNING TO THE
WORLD OF MEDICINE.
>> WOW.
>> WOW. THIS --
THIS -- >> HERE WE GO.
WAIT FOR IT.
>> THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF THE
LOCUS BOT.
LOCUS BOT. IT’S A WAREHOUSE ROBOT THAT
DELIVERS EVERYTHING FROM MEDICAL
SUPPLIES, TO FIRST AID KITS.
BRINGS THEM IN.
>> WE’LL SOON BE HEARING THE
ROBOT WILL SEE YOU NOW.
GAUD
GAUD GADI SCHWARTZ TAKES A LOOK AT
HOW MUCH WE’LL BE SEEING IN THE
E.R. AND BEYOND.
TAKE A LOOK.
>> Reporter: THIS IS NOT A TEST.
THESE ARE REAL, WORKING NURSE
ROBOTS IN BANGKOK, THAILAND,
WORKING MEDICAL RECORDS AND
PILLS AND SINGING SONGS TO
SOOTHE PATIENTS.
SOOTHE PATIENTS. ♪
♪ >> WE ARE VERY HAPPY BECAUSE WE
INVEST JUST A LITTLE BIT AND WE
GET GOOD FEEDBACK FROM OUR STAFF
AND PATIENTS.
AND PATIENTS. >> Reporter: THE DIRECTOR OF
THIS HOSPITAL SAYS THEY
COMMISSION THESE ROBOTS TO HELP
STAFF, NOT TO REPLACE THEM.
>> NOW, NURSE HAS MORE TIME WITH
THE PATIENTS AND WORK WITH OTHER
IMPORTANT THINGS.
IMPORTANT THINGS. >> Reporter: BUT THERE IS A
WHOLE LOT MORE TO EMERGENCY ROOM
ROWBOTS THAN CYBORG CARE.
"STAR TREK" FANS WILL NOTICE
THIS DEVICE, WHICH CAN DIAGNOSE
WITH ONE QUICK SCAN.
AND THAT SCIENCE IS NO LONGER
FICTION.
FICTION. THIS EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN IN
PENNSYLVANIA HAS INVENTED A
REAL-LIFE VERSION OF THAT
TECHNOLOGY, CAPABLE OF
DIAGNOSING 16 DIFFERENT
DISEASES.
DISEASES. >> YOU COULD HAVE IT IN THE
FRONT DOOR OF A HOSPITAL, WHERE
YOU CAN HELP TRIAGE PATIENTS AND
DECIDE WHAT IS GOING ON WITH
INDIVIDUALS AS THEY’RE WALKING
IN.
IN. >> Reporter: WHILE FDA APPROVALS
COULD BE SEVERAL YEARS AWAY,
DR. HARRIS’ TEAM IS WORKING ON
BUILDING TRUST.
BUILDING TRUST. >> THE TRUST WITH PROVIDERS THAT
ARE GOING TO BE GETTING THIS
INFORMATION AND ACTING ON IT,
THE TRUST OF THE PUBLIC THAT’S
GOING TO BE USING THIS TYPE OF
DEVICE.
DEVICE. THAT’S GOING TO TAKE TIME.
>> Reporter: AND IF ROBOTS CAN
HELP NURSES AND DOCTORS AT WORK,
CAN THEY HELP PATIENTS AT HOME?
>> HELLO, RAY.
IS THIS A GOOD TIME FOR OUR
DAILY CHECK?
DAILY CHECK? >> GADI?
>> GADI? I WANT TO INTRODUCE YOU TO MY
FRIEND, MABEL.
FRIEND, MABEL. >> Reporter: MEET MABEL, A
PERSONALIZED COMPANION IN THE
FORM OF A FRIENDLY, YELLOW
ROBOT.
ROBOT. >> HOW ARE YOU DOING?
>> I’M DOING GREAT.
>> SUPER.
>> SUPER. GLAD YOU’RE FEELING GREAT.
>> Reporter: PATIENT, RAY BYRD,
A BUS DRIVER WHO RECENTLY
SUFFERED A HEART ATTACK.
TO MAKE SURE HE STAYED ON HIS
REGIMEN, HE WAS SENT HOME WITH
MABU.
MABU. >> DID YOU TAKE YOUR
PRESCRIPTIONS AS PRESCRIBED?
>> Reporter: HE REMINDS RAY TO
TAKE HIS MEDICATION AND TRACK
YOUR PROGRESS.
YOUR PROGRESS. WHERE WOULD YOU BE?
>> I WOULD BE MORE CARELESS.
>> Reporter: HAS IT BEEN
DIFFICULT TO GET YOUR PATIENTS
TO TRUST A ROBOT?
>> IN GENERAL, NO.
WE DESIGNED THE ROBOT TO LOOK
CUTE.
CUTE. >> Reporter: CORY IS ONE OF
MABU’S INVENTORS.
MABU’S INVENTORS. WHAT DO YOU LIKE ABOUT MABU?
>> IT’S ALWAYS THERE AND
AVAILABLE.
AVAILABLE. PATIENTS WHERE THEY HAVE MABU,
THERE IS A NURSE OR DOCTOR THEY
CAN CALL.
CAN CALL. THEY OFTEN DON’T.
THEY FEEL LIKE THEY DON’T WANT
TO BOTHER ANYBODY.
>> Reporter: IF YOU HAD TO
DESCRIBE YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH
MABU, HOW WOULD YOU DO THAT?
>> IT’S MY PARTNER.
NOT THAT KIND OF PARTNER.
BUT A PARTNER.
>> Reporter: SHE’S PART OF THE
FAMILY?
FAMILY? >> YEAH.
>> YEAH. >> Reporter: ROBOTS MAKING
PATIENTS FEEL A LITTLE MORE
HUMAN.
HUMAN. GADI SCHWARTZ, NBC NEWS, SAN