Tianjin (CNS) -- A group from the School of Technology at the Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine have invented a 1.6-meter-tall robot capable of performing aspects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).
The machine can make basic diagnoses by taking your pulse and reading your tongue. The characters of its name, meaning TCM practicer can appear on a screen in its "abdomen."
Known as the "Traditional Chinese Medicine Health Diagnosis Robot," it was developed by a six-person team over three years and is intended as a convenient guide to a healthy life.
By putting your hand on its left arm, the robot can automatically detect your pulse. If you change to the right arm, it will test the oxygen saturation of your blood. Stick out your tongue in front of its head, and the robot will analyze its condition. It can also understand your verbal description of symptoms.
After the test, patients receive a comprehensive report in 20 minutes, including suggestions for therapy, acupuncture and moxibustion, medicines, diet guidance and so forth.
The team's leader, Professor Lu Xiaozuo, hopes the robot will be applied to practical medical care by the end of this year.
He says the functions of the robot would be perfected through continued application. One day it could even be able to say "hello" to patients and respond to their symptom descriptions.
Tianjin residents have welcomed the robot, which can save time wasted by registering and lining up for a real doctor. However, the machine is not designed to be a substitute for comprehensive human care.
Doctor Wang Kexiao, a clinical veteran, noted that "the same disease might show different symptoms in different people. A robot can only assist the doctor, but never replace him/her."
