New Delhi (The Hawk): Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya who is on a two-day visit to Tamilnadu and Puducherry, visited the Tamilnadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital in Chennai today morning. He witnessed the Robotic Surgery Facility and Early Pregnancy Screening Centre located at the Super Speciality Hospital.Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya also virtually laid the foundation stone of CGHS Wellness Centre and Lab at Avadi. Further, he interacted with trauma care patients and those with severe sports injuries who are being treated with advanced tech-based surgeries&nbsp;and biopharma therapies at the Multi Super Speciality Hospital. Shri M.&nbsp;Subramanian,&nbsp;Minister&nbsp;of Health and Family Welfare, Government of Tamilnadu, Shri P. Senthilkumar, Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Government of Tamilnadu and higher officials participated in the event.Addressing the gathering, Union Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said the Tamilnadu Government Multi Super Specialty Hospital is the only centre with 2 surgeon consoles and congratulated the state for achieving the goal set for MMR and IMR well ahead of the rest of the states.Covering 1.58 crore families in Tamilnadu, under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana , 75 lakh people have availed the benefits, he added. Stating that the COVID vaccination status in the Southern state&nbsp;has reached 11 crore 26 lakh doses with 94 % being first doses and 82% comprising of second doses, the Minister mentioned it as a commendable feat. Speaking about the Nikshay Mitr Abhiyan a TB Patient/Village Adoption’ scheme, he said around 50,000 patients suffer from TB in Tamil Nadu. However he appealed to the people to extend their support to this scheme as only 5% of them have given consent, while 35% have not accepted it as yet. “Only with your support, like in COVID, can we overcome together this hurdle to the nation’s progress”, he reiterated. Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya expressed happiness that 17 districts of the state have recorded zero cases of Malaria and lymphatic filarisis has been fully eradicated in Tamilnadu. Even though this is an encouraging progress, the health Minister directed the health officials to stay alert and continue taking necessary actions towards eradication of Malaria, Chikungunia and Dengue. “The dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is not just visionary but filled with empathy. We are committed to make the nation Malaria Free by 2030.”Informing that the Central Government will soon launch the ‘ One Nation, One Dialysis’&nbsp;programme, under the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Programme, Dr. Mandaviya said through this scheme,&nbsp;&nbsp;any patient&nbsp;can get the dialysis facility from anywhere in the country. He also said under the Ayushman Bharat -Health and Wellness Centress programme, so far 7052 Ayushman Bharat -Health and Wellness Centres (as on June 2022) are functional in the state against the target for 9135 Health and Wellness Centress&nbsp;till December, 2022. Till now, 542.07 lakh (upto March 2022) screening tests have been done in these centres for Hypertension, Diabetes, Common cancers etc, he added.

Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya who is on a two-day visit to Tamilnadu and Puducherry, visited the Tamilnadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital in Chennai today morning. He witnessed the Robotic Surgery Facility and Early Pregnancy Screening Centre located at the Super Speciality Hospital.

Rs 404 Crore For Medical Infrastructure Advancement To Tamil Nadu

Paisley (Scotland): A groundbreaking project to create advanced sensors for use in robotic systems has the potential to transform prosthetics and robotic limbs, according to a new study.The research project, led by the University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Integrated Graphene Ltd, and supported by the Scottish Research Partnership in Engineering (SRPe) and the National Manufacturing Institute for Scotland (NMIS) Industry Doctorate Programme in Advanced Manufacturing, aims to develop sensors that improve robot dexterity and motor skills through the use of accurate pressure sensors that provide haptic feedback. Professor Des Gibson, Director of the Institute of Thin Films, Sensors and Imaging at UWS and project principal investigator, said: "Over recent years, the advancements in the robotics industry have been remarkable, however, due to a lack of sensory capabilities, robotic systems often fail to execute certain tasks easily. For robots to reach their full potential, accurate pressure sensors, capable of providing greater tactile ability, are required."Our collaboration with Integrated Graphene Ltd, has led to the development of advanced pressure sensor technology, which could help transform robotic systems." Made from 3D graphene foam, which offers unique capabilities when put under mechanical stress, the sensors use a piezoresistive approach, meaning when the material is put under pressure it dynamically changes its electric resistance, easily detecting and adapting to the range of pressure required, from light to heavy. Marco Caffio, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer at Integrated Graphene said: "Gii, our novel 3D graphene foam, has the capability to mimic the sensitivity and feedback of human touch, which could have a transformative impact on how robotics can be used for a whole range of real-world applications from surgery to precision manufacturing. "We know the unique property of Gii makes it suitable for use in other applications like disease diagnostics and energy storage, so we're always very excited to be able to demonstrate its flexibility in projects like this one." Dr Carlos Garcia Nunez, School of Computing Engineering and Physical Sciences at UWS added: "Within robotics and wearable electronics the use of pressure sensors is a vital element, to provide either an information input system, or to give robotic systems human-like motor skills. An advanced material like 3D graphene foam offers excellent potential for use in such applications, due to its outstanding electrical, mechanical and chemical properties."Our work shines a light on the significant potential for this technology to revolutionise the robotics industry with dynamic pressure sensors."Claire Ordoyno, Interim Director of SRPe, added: "The SRPe - NMIS Industrial Doctorate Programme brings together groundbreaking academic research with industry partners to drive forward innovation in engineering. These collaborative PhD projects not only enhance the Scottish engineering research landscape but produce innovation focussed, industry-ready PhD graduates, to feed the talent pipeline."&nbsp;—ANI

A groundbreaking project to create advanced sensors for use in robotic systems has the potential to transform prosthetics and robotic limbs, according to a new study.

Scientists Find Robotic Sensors May Be Able To Improve Prosthetics

New Delhi: Dominated by house-cleaning robots, global consumer service robotics market posted 25 per cent shipment growth (year-on-year) last year, a report showed on Tuesday.The consumer robot market is estimated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27 per cent over the next four years, according to Counterpoint's IoT service."House cleaning robots, which mainly comprise robot vacuums, is the most dominant category in the robotics industry, capturing over two-thirds of the total consumer service robotics market," said senior research analyst Anshika Jain.Covid-19 has positively impacted the robot vacuum industry, resulting in increased demand from residential users.With advances in AI, the prices of components and software are also coming down, making the robots more affordable," said Jain.Within the consumer robotics market, the personal and education category is set to take the highest share of 54 per cent by 2025.&nbsp;"The category offers the best near-term opportunity due to the rising need for elderly care (especially in combatting isolation), social security and new ways of learning for children," said Research VP Peter Richardson."We estimate that the market opportunity of Personal and Education robots will exceed $4.5 billion by 2025 with substantial further growth expected beyond 2025 due to the aging population in many countries and increasing focus on STEM-based learning," Richardson added.Personal and education robots had the lowest average selling price (ASP) of around $279, followed by house cleaning robots ($626).In house cleaning category, the leading players are iRobot, Ecovacs, Roborocks.The consumer service robots market holds tremendous potential in the coming years due to evolving use cases, the report noted.&nbsp;"Medical robots still seem a risky proposition as they need a lot of upfront capital expenditure, and the R&amp;amp;D outcomes are unpredictable," it added.—IANS

Dominated by house-cleaning robots, global consumer service robotics market posted 25 per cent shipment growth (year-on-year) last year, a report showed on Tuesday.

 House-cleaning robots lead global consumer robotics market

New Delhi (The Hawk): Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science &amp; Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today informed that six start-ups were selected and supported by ISRO with a grant-in-aid of maximum of Rs 50 lakhs each in areas like geo spatial information, propulsion and Robotics/ AR/VR.In Reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Dr Jitendra Singh said, ISRO along with Atal Innovation Mission (AIM), NITI Aayog launched ANIC-ARISE-1.0 program that aims to seek, select, support and nurture technology-based innovations that solve sectoral challenges of national importance. The Minister said that twenty-Four start-ups submitted their proposals, out of which six start-ups were selected and supported with a grant-in-aid of maximum of Rs 50 lakhs each.ANIC-ARISE-1.0 has following three space sector challenges to get project proposals from start-ups: (i) geo spatial information, (ii) propulsion and (iii) Robotics/ Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality.ANIC-ARISE-2.0 has been launched with four space sector challenges: (i) GIS solutions, (ii) Propulsion, (iii) Navigation &amp; (iv) AI/ML modelling for space applications, seeking project proposals from start-ups in these areas. Selected start-ups will be supported with a grant-in-aid of maximum of INR 50 lakhs each.

Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science & Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today informed that six start-ups were selected and supported by ISRO with a grant-in-aid of maximum of Rs 50 lakhs each in areas like geo spatial information, propulsion and Robotics/ AR/VR.

Dr Jitendra Says, Six Start-Ups Selected & Supported By ISRO

San Francisco: Robotic surgeons from the US, India and Spain were named the top three winners in the KS International Robotic Surgery Innovation competition, as robotic surgery slowly becomes mainstream.Advertisements
&nbsp;The winners were selected by an international jury form Oxford and Stanford Universities, and New-Delhi based AIIMS, from the fields of urology, gynaecology, general surgery, hepato-biliary-pancreatic surgery, colorectal, head and neck, paediatric and joint replacement surgeries.
The winning entry of Dr Jihad Kaouk, department of urology, Cleveland Clinic in Ohio was titled ?Single Port Robot-Assisted Kidney Transplantation Extraperitoneal Approach' in the unique competition organised by Michigan-based robotic surgery evangelist Vattikuti Foundation. Dr Kaouk and his team modified the technique of robotic kidney transplant developed at the Vattikuti Urology Institute and Medanta Medicity. Kaouk used a da Vinci single port robot for truly minimally invasive surgery. "The early results of patients who had undergone robotic kidney transplant through this technique could go home in only 2 days," the foundation said in a statement. For 'Robotic Infraclavicular Approach for Minimally Invasive Neck Dissection,' the second award went to Dr Sandeep Nayak, Director, Surgical Oncology, Fortis Cancer Institute, Bengaluru. Dr Nayak innovated a robotic technique to perform very major cancer surgery of the head neck to clear the lymph nodes in the neck with quick patient recovery and minimal discomfort. The third award went to a team of Dr Alberto Piana, Dr Paolo Verri, and Dr Alberto Breda of Oncology Urology and Kidney Transplant Surgery, Fundacio Puigvert, Barcelona, Spain for their entry of '3D Augmented Reality Guided Robotic Assisted Kidney Transplantation'. The KS National Robotic Surgery Video' competition is being organised in India since 2015 by Vattikuti Foundation. This year, it went international for the first time. "As surgeons continue to innovate newer procedures in robotic surgery, the Vattikuti Foundation will continue to invest and make it accessible to other surgeons," said Raj Vattikuti, president of Vattikuti Foundation. —IANS

Robotic surgeons from the US, India and Spain were named the top three winners in the KS International Robotic Surgery Innovation competition, as robotic surgery slowly becomes mainstream.Advertisements.

Indian, US Surgeons Win Global Robotic Surgery Innovation Award

Hyderabad: City-based CARE Hospitals Group on Thursday announced the first gynecology (hysterectomy) procedure in the Asia-Pacific region, using Medtronic HugoTM robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system.
The procedure was performed by the expert clinical team of CARE Hospitals, led by Padmashree Dr Manjula Anagani at the group's flagship facility located at Banjara Hills here.
The announcement was made in the presence of T Harish Rao, State Minister of Finance, Health, Medical and Family Welfare; Jasdeep Singh, Group CEO of CARE Hospitals; Dr Nikhil Mathur, Group Chief of Medical Services and Mansi Wadhwa Rao, Head of Growth Programmes, Medtronic India.
"Investments in technology enabled healthcare solutions are vital to ensure quality patient care at affordable costs. High quality equipment like robotic systems helps improve accuracy, reduces hospital stay and fasten patient's recovery," said Minister Rao.
Jasdeep Singh, Group CEO, CARE Hospitals said that the hospital has always been at the forefront of providing technology and clinical expertise enabled healthcare solutions to the patient community in both metro and non-metro cities. "The introduction of the all-new Hugo RAS system from Medtronic is a testament to our pioneering initiatives and perfectly complements the continued efforts of our surgeons in delivering high-quality care to our patients," said Singh.
The patient, a 46-year-old woman, was suffering from prolonged Adenomyosis, a condition that causes the uterus to thicken and enlarge. She underwent a robotic-assisted total hysterectomy procedure where the affected uterus was removed using the Hugo RAS system.
CARE Hospitals Group, the first hospital in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to install this new robotic-assisted surgery system from Medtronic.
"Utilising the new RAS system from Medtronic for hysterectomy, which was APAC's first gynecological procedure, is a testimony to our dedication to provide high-end clinical care. It is a proud moment for all our teams, and we look forward to using this innovative robotic system to expand access to the powerful benefits of minimally invasive surgery to more patients," said Dr Anagani.
"These first cases with the Hugo RAS system are ushering in a new era of robotic-assisted surgery in India and around the globe," said Mansi Wadhwa Rao.
Elaborating about the Advanced Robotic programme, Dr Mathur said that this landmark surgery will open up new opportunities for our team of world-class surgeons to further use the Hugo RAS system in other clinical specialties. The Hugo RAS system is a modular, multi-quadrant platform designed for a broad range of soft-tissue procedures.
It combines wristed instruments, 3D visualization, and Touch Surgery Enterprise, a cloud-based surgical video capture and management solution, with dedicated support teams.
It is designed to bring the benefits of minimally invasive surgery -- fewer complications, smaller scars, shorter hospital stays, and a faster return to normal activities. —IANS

City-based CARE Hospitals Group on Thursday announced the first gynecology (hysterectomy) procedure in the Asia-Pacific region, using Medtronic HugoTM robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) system.

CARE Hospitals Performs 1st Gynaecology Procedure In Asia Pacific With Medtronic Hugo Robotic System

Thiruvananthapuram (The Hawk): For the first time in India, 1.2 million students will benefit from robotics laboratories that will be installed in 2000 high schools by Kerala Infrastructure &amp; Technology for Education (KITE), the state government's Edtech division, starting in December 2022.
The Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, will inaugurate 9000 robotic labs through Little KITEs, the largest student-run ICT network in India, on December 8 in this location, according to V. Sivankutty, Minister for General Education, who made the announcement on Saturday.
"Under the Little KITES programme, which gives pupils in public schools the chance to receive practical training in cutting-edge technology fields like robotics, IoT, and artificial intelligence, robotics is a significant training component. Additionally, the programming instruction provided as part of this would aid students in developing their capacity for original thought and problem-solving, which would aid them in studying all subjects "the student body president turned minister continued.
Each robotic kit provided to a school, according to K. Anvar Sadath, CEO of KITE, includes an Arduino Uno Rev3, LEDs, SG90 Mini Servo Motor, LDR Light Sensor Module, IR Sensor Module, Active Buzzer Module, Push Button, Bread Button, Jumper wires, and Resistors.
Using the money allocated for Little KITEs units, "KITE will provide extra support to schools to get additional spares, if required, from the local market," stated Sadath.
4000 KITE Masters would also receive training utilising a specific training module on how to operate this equipment in schools in addition to the deployment of Robotic Kits in schools.
60,000 students are receiving direct instruction from KITE through the use of these KITE Masters. Through this project, over 12 lakh kids would directly benefit from the training of the Little KITES members who would then instruct additional students.
Additionally, students will receive training in a variety of tasks, such as the creation of traffic signals, automatic street lights that are activated by light detection, electronic diodes, automatic doors, and security alarms.
Other training would cover topics like audio-controlled home automation (IoT), electronic voting machines, and walking sticks for visually impaired people.
Additionally, as part of this degree, students receive training in the production of mobile apps utilising the renowned Massachusetts Institute of Technology's (MIT) App Inventor and the design of computer games using Scratch.
(Inputs from Agencies)

For the first time in India, 1.2 million students will benefit from robotics laboratories that will be installed in 2000 high schools by Kerala Infrastructure & Technology for Education (KITE), the state government's Edtech division, starting in December 2022.

9,000 robotic laboratories in 2,000 schools will assist 1.2 million kids in Kerala

Lucknow: For the first time in Uttar Pradesh, the Department of Endocrine Surgery of Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) has performed robotic surgery to remove a 10 cm thyroid tumour.
According to the SGPGIMS spokesperson, a 39-year-old married woman, resident of Barabanki had a thyroid lump in her neck, which was continuously increasing post which she consulted doctors at Barabanki.
After examination, the doctors told her that the due to its size and complications, its surgery is not possible without making an incision in the neck. She was uncomfortable and disappointed about the incision marks after the surgery.
She was then referred to Robotic Thyroid Surgeon Dr Gyan Chand of SGPGI Lucknow to get the surgery done without incision in the throat. Dr Gyan, after necessary tests, said that the tumour could be removed through robotic surgery without making an incision in the throat and this will be the first case in itself.
Dr Gyan successfully removed the tumour of thyroid gland in a four-hour operation without making an incision in the throat. After the successful surgery, Dr Gyan Chand said that the whole process of removing such a large thyroid gland by robotic thyroid surgery is very complicated, but it is a scarless surgery and gives relief to the patient. —IANS

 For the first time in Uttar Pradesh, the Department of Endocrine Surgery of Sanjay Gandhi Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) has performed robotic surgery to remove a 10 cm thyroid tumour.

SGPGIMS Does First Robotic Surgery For Thyroid Tumour

Farmers are decreasing in India in the agriculture sector. Some are leaving the farming profession by repeating common sentences that it is no longer profitable, becoming risky day by day. Its disadvantages do not allow even the youth to take interest in it. Robotics will surely bring the agriculture revolution. However, the road ahead is not very easy. We have to calculate the feasibility, sustainability, and efficiency of meeting the world's food needs. However, it will be interesting to see how farmers, agri-businessmen, and consumers will harness the power of robotics and digital mechanization to shape the future of this industry. -Priyanka Saurabh The agriculture industry in India has undergone drastic changes in the last few decades. From traditional farming methods to smart farming, we have come a long way. Technology has finally overcome the challenges of rural agriculture and is constantly coming up with advanced solutions to increase productivity. The ultimate aim is to help farmers produce high-yielding crops to feed the growing population. To achieve this continuous growth, technological advances combined with artificial intelligence have helped in introducing innovative gadgets in the shape of drones, humidity sensors, etc. One such example is agricultural robots. Robotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural deposition, fabrication, and application of robots. Today robotics is a rapidly growing field and it continues to research, design and manufacture new robots that serve various practical purposes. Robotics in increasing agricultural productivity and sustainability in India Companies are leveraging sensors and various technologies to monitor crop and soil health. Various AI and machine learning tools are being used to predict seed sowing time, receive alerts on risks from pest attacks, etc. Companies are using real-time data analytics on data streams coming in from multiple sources to build an efficient and smart supply chain. Agricultural robot companies are developing and programming autonomous robots to handle essential agricultural tasks, such as harvesting crops at greater volumes and a faster rate than human laborers. Some examples of an agricultural robot are the Green Seeker sensor smart machine that reads a plant's needs and then applies the exact amount of herbicide fertilizer needed. The Green Seeker is a machine that uses sensors to tell a plant what it needs. Robot Drone Tractor A new generation of robotic drones is revolutionizing the way we do farming, with the creation of various robots, the announcement of the first Robot Drone Tractor has become part of the agricultural mainstream. The robot will decide where to sow, when to harvest, and how to choose the best route to cross the field. Illy, a flying robot to spread fertilizer, monitors the growing status of crops above fields, with an automated fertilizer system, the robot can fly autonomously. Fruit-picking robot research is still a work in progress, especially as the robots need to be carefully designed so that they don't get hurt while plucking the fruit. One solution is the use of suction grippers, which are used on automatic fruit-picking machines, to milk dairy animals, especially dairy cattle, without human labor. Automatic milking systems, also known as automatic milking systems, were developed in the late 20th century. Farm equipment companies and researchers in India have developed a lot of small and heavy farm equipment for the needs of traditional farming. If robots are being used for weed control, it will help in reducing the use of herbicides and the yield will change to organic, in the same way, robots can be used for transplanting to avoid intensification. Some impressive innovative technologies by rural inventors can be operated remotely by the cell phone, this is very helpful for farmers in the summertime as the power supply is erratic. Despite various advantages, some drawbacks of agricultural robots significantly hinder their use. Agribots are machines that require considerable investment, making them a costly affair for small and marginal farmers. Eggbots are equipped with the latest technological advancements, which makes them complicated to use. Agricultural robots require farmers to become skilled and efficient in dealing with modern technology, which hinders their ability to properly care for their farmland. India is a country that regularly faces power cuts, especially in rural areas. This renders agricultural robots useless as they cannot operate without power, leading to unnecessary wastage of time. In farming advanced intelligent machines, sensors or readers and handheld PDAs are going to be very helpful in calculation and accuracy. There are so many constraints in the agriculture sector in all countries especially in the agriculture sector farmers are decreasing in India. They are leaving the profession of farming by repeating some common sentences again and again that it is not profitable anymore and it is becoming risky day by day. Its disadvantages do not allow even the youth to take interest in it. Robotics will surely bring the agriculture revolution. However, the road ahead is not very easy. We have to calculate the feasibility, sustainability, and efficiency of meeting the world's food needs. However, it will be interesting to see how farmers, agri-businessmen, and consumers will harness the power of robotics and digital mechanization to shape the future of this industry.&nbsp;&nbsp;

—Priyanka Saurabh / The Hawk
Research Scholar in Political Science
Poetess, Independent journalist and columnist,
AryaNagar, Hisar (Haryana)-125003

Robotics will surely bring the agriculture revolution & Farmers are decreasing in India in the agriculture sector. However, the road ahead is not very easy

Agriculture Robot: Economical Friend of Farmers

Mumbai: As robotic surgeries, slowly but steadily, become mainstream in India, US-based Vattikuti Foundation is organising a key seminar here next month where young robotic surgeons from across the country will share their path-breaking procedures.  India has a need for a huge pool of orthopaedic surgery super-specialists who can handle the special needs of over 10 million children with physical deformities.  Specialist orthopaedic surgeons who can treat limb and spine problems can provide a better quality of life to afflicted children who form a startling 2.2 per cent of India's young from newborns to 18-year-olds.  "India has approximately 100 paediatric orthopaedic surgeons which translates to a caseload of 5 million cases per surgeon," according to Dr Ashok K Johari, an eminent paediatric orthopaedic surgeon.  It is well known that if congenital deformities are corrected early, "a child can be given the chance to live a better life. It is easier to conduct surgeries on a child by modifying the growth of the affected part," added Dr Johari, who is also the President of the International Federation of Paediatric Societies.  Dr Johari will be in conversation with urology surgeon Dr Mahendra Bhandari, CEO of Vattikuti Foundation, on June 11 at a session with specialist surgeons who earned a one-year Vattikuti Foundation Fellowship to become accomplished robotic surgeons.  The Vattikuti Foundation has provided 51 young Indian surgeons year-long fellowships to study robotic surgery under the guidance of mentor surgeons.  At the event, 42 fellows from 18 locations across the country will share their experiences of conducting path-breaking robotic surgery procedures from head and neck, gastroenterology, general surgery, urology, gynaecology and colorectal soft tissue surgeries as well as joint replacement surgeries.  The fellows gained hands-on experience conducting surgeries at large corporate, government trust and private hospitals in India. Most fellows have also been sponsored for 2-to-4-week study programmes in the US.  "The Vattikuti Foundation is humbled by the success of its mission of training over 500 surgeons to become accomplished robotic surgeons and taking the benefits of minimally invasive surgery to patients globally," said Dr Bhandari.  Vattikuti Foundation is currently accepting submissions for the KS International Innovation Awards 2023 in memory of Krishnaswami Subramaniam who is credited with growing the installed base of surgical robots in India.  In addition to the top 3 cash prizes adding up to $15,000, top 10-12 entrants will be invited to the 'Humans at the Cutting Edge of Robotic Surgery' symposium at Orsi Academy in Ghent, Belgium in October. —IANS

 As robotic surgeries, slowly but steadily, become mainstream in India, US-based Vattikuti Foundation is organising a key seminar here next month

42 young Indian robotic surgeons set to share path-breaking procedures

Washington: Researchers have found a proven and effective osteoporosis medication, which is currently only available as an injection, can now be administered orally via a novel robotic pill. "We believe this study provides the first clinical evidence of safe and successful delivery of the osteoporosis drug teriparatide through an oral robotic pill," said Arvinder Dhalla, PhD, who leads Clinical Development at Rani Therapeutics, the San Jose, Calif.-based company that developed the technology and funded the study, adding, "Data from this study are very encouraging and should give hope to those suffering from chronic conditions that require painful injections, like osteoporosis, that an oral alternative could be on the way." When a person swallows the robotic pill, it moves through the stomach intact. In the intestine, the pill releases a self-inflating balloon with a micro syringe, which injects a drug-filled microneedle and delivers the medication. "The intestines do not have pain response to needles, so the injection is painless," Dhalla said. The needle rapidly dissolves, and the medication is absorbed while the delivery mechanism deflates and is safely passed out of the body. "The robotic pill, which is essentially a swallowable auto-injector in the form of a pill, is designed to deliver the drug safely and efficiently as a painless intestinal injection," she said. The Phase I study of 39 healthy women evaluated the safety, tolerability and movement through the body of the robotic pill known as RT-102, containing a dose of the drug teriparatide (PTH 1-34). Teriparatide is a synthetic form of the natural human parathyroid hormone. It has been in clinical use for decades as an injectable medication (under the brand name Forteo®) for rebuilding the brittle bones of osteoporosis patients. It is taken as a daily injection for up to two years. Study participants were divided into three groups. Two groups received either a lower or higher dose delivered with the robotic pill, and the third group received a standard injection of teriparatide. Fluoroscopic imaging was used to track the robotic pill through and out of the body. Drug concentrations were measured in blood samples collected over six hours. The study found the bioavailability (the ability of the drug to be absorbed and used by the body) of the drug delivered by the robotic pill was comparable to or better than the drug given via the injection. "This breakthrough technology of converting injections into oral pills is a significant step forward towards ending the burden of painful injections for millions of patients suffering from chronic diseases," Dhalla said. —ANI

Researchers have found a proven and effective osteoporosis medication, which is currently only available as an injection

Robotic Pill Safely Delivers Injectable Osteoporosis Drug, Finds Study

Shillong: Meghalaya has adopted Artificial Intelligence enabled robotic technology to keep it's beautiful tourist hotspot Umiam lake clean, as the lake at an altitude of about 4,900 feet is also a major hub for water sports and boating in hill town Shillong.  The AI-integrated robotic boat is able to collect huge quantities of garbage in reasonable time from Umiam Lake, that was formed when a dam was built over the Umiam river in the early sixties as part of a hydel power project.
Under the Meghalaya government's Smart Village initiative, the AI- enabled robotic boat was recently deployed in collaboration with a global non-profit organisation called Smart Village Movement (SVM), and Hong Kong-based technology firm Clearbot after a week-long demonstration.  Tulenam Laloo, Fellow at the Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley, and Director of Operations for the initiative in Meghalaya, highlighted that "this technology was first tested in Bali (Indonesia) and tried to transfer such capabilities to Meghalaya, a growing tourist destination today, to solve waste collection in a famous.  "Such models will create standard processes to handle waste in a timely manner making operations more efficient than conventional ones. These technologies must be leveraged to a great extent to address the growing menace of waste in general but particularly help scale such operations to similar locations and bring back a thriving ecology and magnificent touristic experiences," Laloo told IANS.
Ramkumar, a senior IAS official and nodal officer of the Smart Village Movement in Meghalaya said that innovation is not just by accident, it is the concerted effort of people who really want to bring change.  "Everyone has capabilities to create change at their own level. We were excited to see this pilot taking shape and witness a milestone in waste management. This initiative aligns with our commitment to foster a cleaner and more sustainable environment through technology-driven solutions," he said.  Siddhant Gupta, founder of Clearbot shared, "At Clearbot, we're excited to join forces with the Smart Village Movement to revitalise local waterways in Meghalaya."  This partnership exemplifies the commitment to innovative solutions for environmental rejuvenation. Through this pilot, we aim to demonstrate how technology-driven clean-up initiatives can contribute to holistic rural development, aligning with the Movement's vision for a sustainable future, Gupta said.
"The robot is unmanned, battery-powered that could collect plastic waste on the shoreline or in waterways. The batteries are charged via solar panels at the on-land docking station and the boat can either be set to run autonomously or guided by remote operator."  The technology presents an economical method for effectively removing debris, oil, operating on electric power. With the capacity to gather as much as 15 litres of oil and 200 kilograms of floating refuse daily, these models need to be explored in our state, said Pynshai Marpna, one of the robotic boat project officials.  The Meghalaya Smart Village Movement (SVM) is a collaborative process facilitated by the SVM with the UC Berkeley-Haas Center of Growth Markets to create a Smart Village ecosystem.  In partnership with Government, Academia, Corporations, and Rural Communities, they foster independence and sustainable rural development in Indian villages and other emerging markets.
The SVM aims to empower rural people through digital technologies and open innovation platforms to access global markets, Laloo pointed out.  Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma highly appreciated the AI-integrated robotic boat project, which is likely to be executed in other lakes, ponds and water bodies in Meghalaya.  Commenting on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Chief Minister said: "In a landmark step towards advancing waste management practices, an innovative demonstration featuring an AI-Integrated marine robotic boat for floating waste collection took place at Kyndong Rella in the Mawdun Area of Umiam Lake.  The initiative was spearheaded by the Meghalaya government under its Smart Village Movement in collaboration with technology partner Clearbot.
—IANS

Meghalaya has adopted Artificial Intelligence enabled robotic technology to keep it's beautiful tourist hotspot Umiam lake clean, as the lake at an altitude of about 4,900 feet is also a major hub for water sports and boating in hill town Shillong.

Meghalaya uses AI-enabled tech to clean up tourist hotspot Umiam lake

New Delhi: As the Indian healthcare sector embraces robotics surgery in a big way, the availability of a variety of surgical robots from multiple vendors and an increasing number of trained doctors and commitment to investing in surgical robots by government and corporate hospitals are increasing its footprint across the country, says Dr Mahendra Bhandari, CEO of US-based Vattikuti Foundation and a robotic surgery evangelist. Nearly 20 years after Escorts Heart Institute (now known as Fortis Escorts Heart Institute), a Delhi-based hospital, ushered in a pathbreaking procedure that employed robotic assistance for complex heart surgery, robotic surgery has not only increased its footprint manifold but also promises to grow at a rapid pace. "Surgical robots are now being applied to newer medical specialties like joint replacement and heart conditions like the coronary artery bypass grafting," Dr Bhandari told IANS. Over 110,000 robot assisted surgeries have been performed in the country in the last 15 years, as per industry estimates. The first joint replacement robot, Mako, in use at Amrita Hospital in Kochi since 2017, now has 20 installations across the country with over 80 experienced orthopaedic surgeons trained and certified to handle joint replacement surgeries. Some of the large hospital chains with a 'Mako' robot include Max Hospital, Saket, New Delhi, Apollo Indraprastha Hospital in Delhi. It has been used for over 10,000 joint replacement procedures in India to date. Dr Bhandari said that Vattikuti Foundation's effort in preparing a vast a pool of surgeons over the last 10 years has given him satisfaction that "each one of the 100-plus hospitals performing robotic surgeries in India has either a robotic surgeon, mentor or a Vattikuti Fellow trained by the Foundation". Globally, the surgical robot market is expected to reach $30.7 billion by 2030, according to data analytics firm GlobalData. Responding to the high cost associated with robotic surgeries in India, Dr Bhandari said that with the availability of robots from at least half a dozen manufacturers the cost of surgeries is bound to go down. "The new training facility at AIIMS will serve as yet another beacon of progress by providing robotic surgery skills to hundreds of surgeons who can deliver better outcomes to patients by increasing access to high-quality medical care and reducing costs," he told IANS. Shorter hospital stays for patients because of robotic surgery will make healthcare facilities accessible to more patients needing life-saving surgery and organ transplant. The Vattikuti Foundation has trained over 500 super-specialist surgeons from all specialties to become accomplished robotic surgeons India in the last decade. "State governments are acquiring state-of-the-art robotic surgery technology demonstrating their commitment to innovation. States like Telangana have in place a robotic policy framework with healthcare as one prime sector for the government in promoting robotic technology," Dr Bhandari mentioned. Encouragingly, more major health insurers now reimburse additional expenses for robotic surgery in the country as they believe that it delivers better outcomes and shorter hospital stays, another reason that could add to the growth of this form of surgery in India, he mentioned. As robot-assisted surgeries gain traction in the Indian healthcare industry, the Vattikuti Foundation also announced its 2023 Fellowship programme for surgeons with super-specialist qualifications in the country. The fellowships are available in surgical oncology, minimally invasive and robotic gynaecologic surgery, as well as different aspects of urologic robotic oncology. —IANS

As the Indian healthcare sector embraces robotics surgery in a big way, the availability of a variety of surgical robots 

Robotic Surgery In India Gains Footprint, Cost Bound To Go Down: Indian-Origin Evangelist

Thiruvananthapuram: Sastra Robotics, a startup incubating under Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), has inked an agreement with a top UK IT firm to supply 150 robots.
The robots using Artificial Intelligence (AI) perform quality testing tasks that human beings c annot do.
Equipped with advanced robotic arms, the robots function like human hands and fingers. They are primarily used to figure out mobile, space, defence, banking, and sophisticated equipment defects.&nbsp;
Aronin Ponnappan, co-founder and CEO Sastra Robotics, said the robots developed by our nascent firm have added another feather to projects like ‘Made in Kerala’ and ‘Make in India’. “ Also, for a Kerala startup to get such a big contract can be scripted as the first-ever in the robotics sector. It has allowed showcasing our technological prowess in the field of robotics in Britain,” said Ponnappan.
The robots, wholly designed and developed in Kerala, will reduce human intervention in discovering hardware and software failures in electronic smart devices with touch screens, besides predicting the reasons for those failures by deploying AI technology. KSUM is the nodal agency of the Kerala government for entrepreneurship development and incubation activities in the state. &nbsp;
—IANS

Sastra Robotics, a startup incubating under Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM), has inked an agreement with a top UK IT firm to supply 150 robots.

One Hundred Fifty robots from Kerala startup to Britain

New Delhi: The trailer for the Tamil sci-fi-romance series ‘MY3’ has finally come out, and it showcases a very weird romance story between a robotics scientist and his own creation, the robot MY3 with whom he ends up falling in love.
The trailer starts off with actor Shanthnu Bhagyaraj making a robot for a wealthy businessman, played by Mugen Rao, who funny enough is allergic to human touch. Shanthnu creates the robot MY3 to keep Mugen company, whom he models on his real life ex-girlfriend.
However, the lifelike robot suddenly malfunctions and breaks down, leading Shanthnu to send the ‘original’ version of MY3; aka actress Hansika Motwani.
Throughout the trailer, people are worried about what will happen if Mugen founds out that the robot is not a robot, but a real person, though people feel that chances are slim given that Mugen is both allergic to the touch of humans, and the lifelike appearance of the robot making him weary of touching it.
While the story is revealed in the trailer itself, there is a bit of a weird twist which casts some doubts as to what is going on. Initially it seems that Shanthnu is using his real life ex-girlfriend as a shield, though overtime some kind of romance seems to be rekindling between them, which is standard enough.
What really strikes is the end of the trailer, where Shanthnu says “Having MY3 in my life, has made it all the better and completely changed it”, after which he later proceeds to touch what appears to be Hansika but is in fact, the actual MY3 robot.
Proceeding to touch her, his hand begins to glitch out while he and the robot are looking at each other with complete romantic interest before the clip closes.
‘MY3’ is the official Indian adaptation of the K-drama ‘I Am Not A Robot’, and seems to be more or less exactly like it.
‘MY3’ is directed by M. Rajesh, and will release on Disney+ Hotstar in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Bangla, Kannada, Marathi and Malayalam on September 15, 2023.
—IANS

The trailer for the Tamil sci-fi-romance series ‘MY3’ has finally come out, and it showcases a very weird romance story between a robotics scientist

‘MY3’ trailer shows robotic love story of a scientist in love with his own robot

New Delhi: Elon Musk, on Monday, provided a glimpse of Tesla’s humanoid robot named ‘Optimus,’ which welcomed viewers with a ‘Namaste’ and effortlessly performed a series of Yoga poses.  As per IANS, initially unveiled during ‘Tesla AI Day’ in October 2022, Optimus was showcased in a new video posted by the X owner, demonstrating its improved capabilities.
Optimus can now self-calibrate its arms and legs, utilizing vision and joint position encoders to precisely determine the position of its limbs in space. The robot smoothly learns tasks, including sorting and unsorting colored blocks, with its neural network operating entirely on-board and relying solely on vision.
After a day of work, the humanoid robot takes time to stretch, concluding with a Namaste, as shown in the video.  Equipped with the same artificial intelligence (AI) software and sensors found in Tesla’s advanced driver assistance system ‘Autopilot,’ Optimus is estimated to cost around $20,000.
Tesla intends to mass-produce the humanoid robot in the millions of units. It features a 2.3-kilowatt-hour battery pack, suitable for a full day’s work, runs on a Tesla chip, and offers Wi-Fi and LTE connectivity, as reported by The Verge.  Optimus boasts human-like hands with a “Biologically Inspired Design,” making it capable of picking up objects of various shapes and sizes in factory and facility settings.
Elon Musk had previously stated that the robot could be priced “probably less than $20,000.” He emphasized its ability to carry a 20-pound bag, use tools, and possess a precision grip suitable for small robots.  Additionally, the robot comes with wireless connectivity, audio support, and hardware-level security features. Musk had described its potential impact as a “fundamental transformation for civilization as we know it” during the AI Day event.
—IANS

Elon Musk, on Monday, provided a glimpse of Tesla’s humanoid robot named ‘Optimus,’ which welcomed viewers with a ‘Namaste’ and effortlessly performed

Musk showcases Tesla humanoid robot performing Yoga, Namaste

Washington: According to a study, a one-hour training session is sufficient for people to perform a task with their own robotic arms as effectively as with a partner. Researchers from Queen Mary University of London, Imperial College London, and The University of Melbourne discovered that with just one hour of instruction, humans can learn to utilise supernumerary robotic arms as successfully as working with a partner. The research, which was published in the journal IEEE Open Journal of Engineering in Medicine and Biology, looked into the ability of supernumerary robotic arms to assist individuals with jobs that require more than two hands. Human enhancement with extra artificial limbs has long been a theme in science fiction, as shown in Doctor Octopus in The Amazing Spider-Man (1963).  “Many tasks in daily life, such as opening a door while carrying a big package, require more than two hands,” said Dr Ekaterina Ivanova, lead author of the study from Queen Mary University of London. “Supernumerary robotic arms have been proposed as a way to allow people to do these tasks more easily, but until now, it was not clear how easy they would be to use.”  The study involved 24 participants who were asked to perform a variety of tasks with a supernumerary robotic arm. The participants were either given one hour of training in how to use the arm, or they were asked to work with a partner.  The results showed that the participants who had received training on the supernumerary arm performed the tasks just as well as the participants who were working with a partner. This suggests that supernumerary robotic arms can be a viable alternative to working with a partner and that they can be learned to use effectively in a relatively short amount of time.  “Our findings are promising for the development of supernumerary robotic arms,” said Dr Ivanova. “They suggest that these arms could be used to help people with a variety of tasks, such as surgery, industrial work, or rehabilitation.” —ANI

According to a study, a one-hour training session is sufficient for people to perform a task with their own robotic arms as effectively as with a partner

One-Hour Training Is Enough To Control A Third Robotic Arm: Study

Rishikesh (The Hawk): AIIMS Rishikesh proudly announces a groundbreaking milestone in surgical excellence by completing the first major liver resection surgery utilizing robotic technology in Uttarakhand. The patient, who had been under the care of AIIMS Rishikesh for the past three months, Based on the findings, a decision was made to proceed with the liver resection surgery. Dr. Sunita Suman, Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, provided details about the patient, Laxman Singh, a 34-year-old male from Rudraprayag, Uttarakhand, who had been experiencing persistent fever spikes for three months. After evaluation, he was diagnosed with a rare liver cancer known as a Malignant mesenchymal tumor in the Liver SOL. He underwent a Robotic-assisted right posterior sectionectomy, involving the meticulous resection of around 35% of the liver. The postoperative course was uneventful, and the patient was planned for discharge on postoperative day 5. Dr. Lokesh Arora, Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgical Gastroenterology said that Robotic technology facilitated enhanced precision and minimal invasiveness, leading to faster patient recovery. The Da Vinci Xi Robot surgical system, with advanced instrumentation and 10x magnification of the surgical field, ensured optimal safety and reduced surgery-induced discomfort. Dr. Nirjhar Raj Associate Professor and robotic gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary surgeon, underscored the significance of this milestone, stating, "The incorporation of robotic technology has revolutionized our approach, enabling us to achieve superior outcomes while ensuring patient safety and comfort. Most liver resections are done with an open approach, which would require a long abdominal incision and a prolonged post-operative stay of around 10-14 days. Patient safety and recovery are our prime concerns and robotic surgery helped us achieve this goal. The patient displayed excellent results in recovery and was discharged within a week. The patient’s recovery process was easy, with barely any pain".  The intricate procedure, spanning over 8-9 hours, was led by a team of esteemed surgeons, including Dr. Nirjhar Raj, Head and Associate Professor, Dr. Lokesh Arora, Assistant Professor, and Dr. Sunita Suman, Assistant Professor, Dr. Neeraj Yadav, Dr. Vinay, and Dr. Azhar. Additionally, Dr. Ruma assistant professor department of anesthesia, Dr. Ramanand, and Dr. Deekshit from the anesthesia department, along with nursing officers, including SNO Suresh, NO Manish, Ritesh, Mohit, Hasan, and Pooja, were instrumental in the successful execution of the surgery. Prof. R. B. Kalia, Medical Superintendent, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "We are thrilled to have successfully performed this major liver resection surgery. Our dedicated team of surgeons, anesthetists, and medical professionals have demonstrated exceptional skill and commitment throughout this challenging procedure." Prof. Meenu Singh, Director of AIIMS commended the surgical team's expertise, emphasizing AIIMS Rishikesh's position as a hub for cutting-edge medical advancements. AIIMS Rishikesh extends its gratitude to all staff members involved in the successful execution of this surgery, reaffirming its mission to deliver excellence in healthcare to the community. Additionally, the surgery was performed in Aayushman, free of cost, delivering high-skill procedures to the poorest of the poor.

AIIMS Rishikesh proudly announces a groundbreaking milestone in surgical excellence by completing the first major liver resection surgery

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Rs 404 Crore For Medical Infrastructure Advancement To Tamil Nadu

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