Future Medical Technology

Medical robot

Medical robots are used with increasing frequency in the medical field. Surgeons no longer operate on the basis of their skill and experience alone.

An example of research that is focused on resolving scientific and technological problems in this field is the study carried out by the Biomedical Engineering Research Centre (CREB) to measure forces on the humeral joint, according to the type of suture used after implanting prostheses. “During the rehabilitation process, exercises are undertaken to prevent ankylosis of the bone. However, the force on the stitches is sometimes enough to break them.

The design of a robotic test, of an anatomic model that behaves in the same way as a person’s arm, enables repetitive, systematic methodology to be applied to quantify the independent measurements of external factors. With tests like these, surgeons can learn how to improve surgical procedures. In this case, the aim is to identify the most suitable stitching method”, explained the researcher Alícia Casals, who is the leader of the IBEC’s robotics research group.

This line of research is complemented by the development of tools to help and support surgery, and to ensure that surgery is more precise, as well as tools that enable operations to be carried out at a distance using a robot.

Future Medical Technology

Medical check-ups at home

There is growing demand for monitoring or periodically supervising people’s state of health in any environment. In this field, the Instrumentation, Sensors and Interfaces Group of the UPC’s Department of Electronic Engineering in Castelldefels is working on the design of systems that enable patients’ vital signs to be monitored in domestic environments.

The researcher Oscar Casas reminded us that “not so long ago, houses were only equipped with a thermometer, and, with a bit of luck, a set of scales. Now it is not unusual for people to have portable equipment for measuring blood pressure or devices for testing blood sugar levels at home. Our aim is for this growing range of health systems for individual, rather than hospital, use to be available to everyone”.

The Group has designed a system for simultaneously detecting heart and respiratory rates that functions with force sensors, which are used to measure weight, even in conventional electronic scales. This domestic application can measure the aforementioned parameters faster than current systems, which tend to be uncomfortable for the patient due to the direct contact between the sensor and the skin and whose measurements can be affected by the movement of the sensor. Work is currently being undertaken on a chair that enables the measurement of these and other physiological parameters.

The future of these systems, which are useful for monitoring and supervising elderly or disabled people, involves making sensors that do not require contact, so that they can be concealed from the person who is being supervised and have the least possible impact on their daily activities. This enables action to be taken only when strictly necessary.

Future Medical Technology

Monitoring systems

The Technical Research Centre for Dependency Care and Autonomous Living (CETpD), which is attached to the UPC and located in Vilanova i la Geltrú, has been working in the health sector for almost nine years. Its research is focused mainly on the field of dependency and care for the chronically ill. Andreu Català, the director of the Knowledge Engineering Research Group (GREC), stated that: “We do not aim to replace carers, but we do believe that technology can be a very useful complement, as it can help dependent people to feel more comfortable and more secure. Our aim is to develop innovative technology to improve their quality of life.”

From the beginning, one of the main lines of work has involved analysing and monitoring human movement. Inertial sensors have been developed that can detect falls and characterise different types of movement. This research has applications in monitoring and preventing the risk of falls in elderly people or people recovering from a fracture.

Currently, the CETpD is participating in two research projects on Parkinson’s disease: one Ministry of Health study and one European project. Parkinson’s disease is the second most significant neurodegenerative disease in the world, after Alzheimer’s. It affects over four million people. The first project is titled Monitoring the Mobility of Parkinson’s Patients for Therapeutic Purposes (MOMOPA), and is focused on detecting and monitoring various stages in the activity of people with this disease. The other project is titled Home-Based Empowered Living for Parkinson’s Disease Patients (HELP). Its objective is to design a system for administrating the exact drug dose that a patient needs for his or her daily activities by means of an infusion pump, which is controlled by a movement sensor.

Future Vehicles

The expedition truck is an innovative 4×4 polar expedition truck concept that can help researchers to explore challenging polar areas with ultimate functionalities. The rare combination of relatively short wheelbase with large off-road tires, along with the tire-pressure system, makes the vehicle able to overcome any kid of obstacles during the journey. The vehicle is designed for three passengers inside a fully suspended cabin with rally like seating arrangements, making the journey completely safe and comfortable. The truck features space for the research tools on its back and a compartment for the passengers to sleep and eat. The PACCAR 12.9 liter MX373 engine of the vehicle produces 510 bhp of power at 1900 rpm, making it able to perform excellent in extreme polar conditions.

Future Robots

The Plant-o-Bot robot concept aims to motivate mankind to maintain a green environment with an excellent idea of keeping a robot alive by gaining energy from the plants that are living on its body. The robot contains an energy meter on its chest that remains green according to the health of the plants and becomes red when the plant is dead or running through an unhealthy condition. Moreover, the robot features arms with 3 useful planting tools, cultivator, scissor and watering equipment, through which it can take care of the plants. This concept is holding an ultimate message with a hope that people will realize the importance of a green environment and act accordingly, just like Plant-o-Bot.