Issues and Research Fields of Medical Robotics: A Review

Abstract

The goal for collaborative robots has always driven advancements in robotic technology, especially in the manufacturing sector. However, this is not the case in service sectors, especially in the health sector. Thus, this lack of focus has now opened more room for the design and development of service robots that can be used in the health sector to help patients with ailments, cognitive problems, and disabilities. There is currently a global effort toward the development of new products and the use of robotic medical devices and computer-assisted systems. However, the major problem has been the lack of a thorough and systematic review of robotic research into disease and epidemiology, especially from a technology perspective. Also, medical robots are increasingly being used in healthcare to perform a variety of functions that improve patient care. This scoping review is aimed at discovering the types of robots used in healthcare and where they are deployed. Moreover, the current study is an overview of various forms of robotic technology and its uses in the healthcare industry. The considered technologies are the products of a partnership between the healthcare sector and academia. They demonstrate the research and testing that are necessary for the service of robot development before they can be employed in practical applications and service scenarios. The discussion also focused on the upcoming research areas in robotic systems as well as some important technologies necessary for human-robot collaboration, such as wireless sensor networks, big data, and artificial intelligence.