Giz Wiz Show #1502! Yep, Three More Gadgets from CES 2015.

The Doctor and His Robot Will See You Now!

RxRobots MEDi is a way for robots to make a doctor or hospital visit by a child a lot easier to take. From the company, here’s the story of the evolution of the medical robot, nicknamed Medi. In 2009, our research team built a robot arm, decorated it with craft materials, and displayed it at the Telus World of Science. We programmed it to stack blocks, and to "accidentally" drop the last block. We observed children trying to help the robot arm by talking to it and even yelling at it to try again. We were especially surprised to discover that the majority of children thought it had the ability to think, feel, and act in ways that clearly it couldn't. This got us thinking...​​If children were so interactive with a robot arm in a science center, perhaps it could be put to use in a pediatric setting. That's when we began our research with a humanoid robot to help children manage pain and distress during medical procedures. Affectionately named MEDi, this robot is programmed with cognitive-behavioral strategies to coach children through pain, giving them a sense of mastery. MEDi also distracts them with interactive games, conversation, and music. Children who interact with MEDi during medical procedures experience 50% less pain and distress than children without MEDi. MEDi can visit with children and parents in the waiting room, telling them stories and playing games to reduce their anxiety before medical procedures. 

Company video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BReQjkRmEQ  

Company website: http://www.rxrobots.com/

Hear or see this video: www.twit.tv/giz1502   (Goes live late 1/22/15)