Chinese robot connects elderly with doctors via video and voice

A health and safety monitoring robot that connects elderly patients to doctors for online diagnosis and prescription writing has been unveiled in China by Shanghai PT. Roby Mini, the first of its kind in China, connects a user to a network of 5,000 hospital-based doctors through a video function after receiving a voice order. The voice interaction system also recognises dialects for those patients who do not speak Mandarin well. Benefits of using the robot include avoiding long queues in many hospitals in big cities. The Roby Mini is 40cms tall, has a large round screen for a head, and costs around ¥5,000 ($760).

A robot, claimed by its developer to connect users to doctors for online medical diagnosis and prescriptions, has made its debut in Shanghai.

Roby Mini, the first of its kind in the country, is a health and safety monitor for the elderly which can connect a user to a hospital doctor through its video function after receiving a voice order.

"It will be as easy as giving the robot an instruction like 'call a doctor', and the system will get in one of the 5,000 doctors that work with our telemedicine system right away," Hong Gang, co-founder and technical director of robotics company Shanghai PT Info told China Daily.

"Our voice interaction system can even recognize dialects as some seniors don't speak good Mandarin. The camera on the robot is of high definition, which will allow doctors to see the patients and the part of their body that needs to be checked clearly," he said.

The robot can help people avoid long queues in many hospitals in big cities especially when they suffer from a common disease, Hong said.

Shanghai PT Info previously signed a memorandum of cooperation with Shanghai Doudouxing Information Technology Co Ltd, the only licensed Internet platform of medical prescription in the country.

"Most doctors on our platform are working doctors at hospitals in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, which means users from all over the country can enjoy the service of first-class doctors in the country," said Yu Hongjun, CEO of Shanghai Doudouxing.

Roby Mini is 40 centimeters tall and has a large round screen for a head. It costs around 5,000 yuan ($760).