Apparatus and method for patient rounding with a remote controlled robot
View Patent ↗A method for remotely monitoring a patient. The method includes generating and transmitting input commands to the robot from a remote station. The remote station may include a personal computer that is operated by a doctor. The input commands can move the robot so that a video image and sounds of the patient can be captured by a robot camera and microphone, respectively, and transmitted back to the remote station. The robot may also have a monitor and a speaker to allow for two-way videoconferencing between the patient and a doctor at the remote station. The robot can move from room to room so that a doctor can make “patient rounds” within a medical facility. The system thus allows a doctor visit patients from a remote location, thereby improving the frequency of visits and the quality of medical care.
1. A method for viewing a patient, comprising:
generating a first robot movement input command at a remote station;
transmitting the first robot movement input command;
receiving the first robot movement input command at a robot that has a camera and a microphone;
moving the camera to view a patient; and,
transmitting an image of the patient and a sound of the patient from the robot to the remote station.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating a second robot movement command, transmitting the second robot command and moving the robot across a floor of a medical facility.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the robot movement input command is generated by a doctor.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a video image and a sound of a doctor at the remote station to the robot, the video image being displayed by a monitor of the robot, the sound being generated by a speaker of the robot.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the robot movement input command causes the robot camera to zoom relative to the patient.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a video image of a medical chart from the robot to the remote station.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising generating and transmitting a question from the remote station to the robot.
8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the question is generated by a speaker of the robot.
9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the question is displayed by a monitor of the robot.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the robot movement input command is transmitted through a broadband network.