A Health Care Robotics Roadmap for Europe

The European Commission has assigned the Dutch innovation agency TNO the task of exploring the possible healthcare applications of robotics. Together with eighty experts from around the world, TNO has developed a roadmap that identifies, among other things, the most promising areas of innovation. Six of these are contained in the roadmap:
* Smart medical capsules
* Robotised surgery
* Smart Intelligent prosthesis
* Robotised analysis of motion coordination and therapy
* Robotised patient monitoring systems
* Robot-supported psychic, cognitive and social therapy

TNO Health Care Robotics Innovations Map

Key findings of the road map study:
* Robotics hold the promise of addressing some major healthcare issues.
* The field of robotics in healthcare is in its infancy – industry, government and research can still exert influence.
* There is a need to bridge the difficult transitions from laboratories to trials and from trials to regular healthcare practice.
* Systematic support to research is needed for progress to be made.
* Addressing ethical and legal problems should be an integral part of any research programme in this field.
* Awareness must be raised through a flanking communication programme.

More information at TNO Robotics for Healthcare