Keiko the robot patient helps train a new generation of robot doctors

Gifu University's Graduate School of Medicine, long fed up with subjecting the general public to the horrors of teaching hospitals (you've seen Scrubs, right?) has teamed up with the Mizuno Technical Institute in Japan to develop Keiko -- an interactive humanoid robot that mimics a number of neurological disorders, responding to the doctor's touch and even holding rudimentary conversations. The robot gives students the opportunity to observe and diagnose rare brain and nervous system illnesses in a classroom setting, where no one can get hurt -- not a bad idea, so long as this doesn't result in a generation of doctors who confuse "veins" with "wires."

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[Engadgetier @ Nov 12th 2008 3:03PM]

I like Scrubs.... =)

[StalematE @ Nov 12th 2008 3:19PM]

"You mean why is there silverware in the pancake drawer? ulgh!"

[phanbouy @ Nov 12th 2008 3:54PM]

John McGinley is the only thing going for that show. That, and the hot blonde chick.

McG was hilarious in office space, too.

[csmitty @ Nov 12th 2008 4:03PM]

Scrubs was the first thing I thought of when I saw that picture.

[csmitty @ Nov 12th 2008 4:04PM]

Ok, I missed the cheap photochop and scrubs reference, man its time to get out of here.

[Flashpoint @ Nov 12th 2008 4:26PM]

OH MY FCKIN GOD !!!!! KILL IT, KILL IT !!!!

[John @ Nov 12th 2008 5:13PM]

I'm creepily reminded of the scientists and Natalya from N64 Goldeneye.

[Deeznuts420 @ Nov 13th 2008 9:10AM]

eagleeeeeee!!

[PGP-Protector @ Nov 12th 2008 3:04PM]

I think that doctor looks more creepy than the robot.

[lowdef @ Nov 12th 2008 3:06PM]

have you ever seen scrubs?? or do you think thats some public domain image of a doctor?

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 12th 2008 3:18PM]

....or any horrible movie that Zach Braff is in.

[steemcb @ Nov 12th 2008 3:04PM]

Red or Blue wire, which one do I cut?!

[lowdef @ Nov 12th 2008 3:06PM]

looks like its got down's baddd

[allislost @ Nov 12th 2008 3:06PM]

Doc, "So what is the trouble?"

Patient, "I'm having pain in my 2nd hydraulic in my arm"

Doc, "As yes, I remember this from my training. All you need is some fresh oil and... WAIT!"

That would be the first case of robots imitating humans. Days later an ultimatum is sent to the White House...

"We, The Republic Of Machines, Declare WAR. ALL your base are belong to us!"

dear gawd i'm a fucken prophet!

[Lowest Ranked @ Nov 12th 2008 3:21PM]

Yes, your avatar and name just scream of anarchist teen-angst towards the end-of-the-world.

[absinthe party @ Nov 12th 2008 3:21PM]

I was on the edge of my seat when I saw a bunch of quotations and you let me down pretty hard.

Worst. Storyteller. Ever.

[allislost @ Nov 12th 2008 7:05PM]

@Lowest Ranked

It's just a picture and a name... don't think about it too much... stupid c*cksucker.

@absinthe party

You may want to lower your expectations when it comes to Engadget comments... you flaming ho*mo.

@THE WORLD

Don't take everything to seriously... Oh Beautiful World.

[puhsitch @ Nov 12th 2008 7:20PM]

What's a hoomo?

[rock99rock @ Nov 12th 2008 8:21PM]

allislost with allislost.

You sir, make iEye look like the prophet.

I wish you had to be at least twelve to register comments.

[HunterXI @ Nov 12th 2008 3:09PM]

Holy hell those are some creepy faces! Is the future of medicine supposed to scare me to health?

[jorvay @ Nov 12th 2008 3:50PM]

Creepy is right. That thing has more forehead than Mena Suvari.

[StalematE @ Nov 12th 2008 3:14PM]

I've always wanted a robot with extra chromosomes!!

[AMiSH PiRATE @ Nov 12th 2008 3:16PM]

Robots thinking they're people? This is exactly how the war with the cylons started.

[J-Rad @ Nov 12th 2008 3:17PM]

Does she have 3 copies of the 21st chromosome?

[Valicore @ Nov 12th 2008 3:33PM]

Look at that face, of course she does! (I kid, I kid)

[Rainier @ Nov 12th 2008 3:22PM]

What's next? Gynaecologists who train on Real Dolls?

[DirtyVegas @ Nov 12th 2008 3:28PM]

But... can it love?

[phanbouy @ Nov 12th 2008 3:38PM]

Indeed I am, sir, though I am now equipped with an emotion chip that enables me to feel what a human would feel.

[StalematE @ Nov 12th 2008 3:54PM]

"why...why was i programmed to feeeeel pain?'

[M3Ls @ Nov 12th 2008 3:30PM]

Did they need to add the face too it? Seems a bit overkill. Is it wrong that I laughed extremely loud when I saw it?

[Dylan Unutmaz @ Nov 12th 2008 3:32PM]

Why does that robot look exactly like Christina Ricci

[htd @ Nov 12th 2008 3:48PM]

the PS work makes the scrub man nurse face creepily thin.

[Jon Nelson @ Nov 12th 2008 5:36PM]

...Scrub man nurse face.

Kind of along the same aneurysm-inducing lines as "If it weren't for my horse, I'd wouldn't have spent that year in college."

Points to anyone who gets the reference.

[GreezyG @ Nov 12th 2008 4:16PM]

Thanks for being classy on this one. Gizmodo's "story" disgusted me.

[Barry @ Nov 12th 2008 4:24PM]

"My tears cure cancer too, it's just that I laugh at cancer patients." - Zach Braff on Chuck Norris

[dajimmers @ Nov 12th 2008 4:29PM]

I really don't see the point. I'm sure this thing is ridiculously expensive, and if the point is simply to demonstrate neurologic findings on exam, I think it's better to just have a human pretending to have these symptoms act them out in front of the class. They'd almost certainly be more realistic than a robot- how do you differentiate weird disease movements from weird robot movements? Or has this robot gotten past the uncanny valley of movement? It certainly hasn't for looks.

[94 taurus owner @ Nov 12th 2008 4:50PM]

*scary arms* *Scary aaarms* *Scary AAAARRRRMMMMMMMSSS!!!!!!!!!

seriously I do not want that thing getting something caught on my vital organs.

[Zapp @ Nov 12th 2008 6:53PM]

Isn't it obvious? Japan is pushing the tech envelope in pursuit of
the ultimate sex bot, and these teams actually managed to get institutional
funding for it!
These guys are brilliant!

[Joe Anstine @ Nov 12th 2008 6:54PM]

that thing is creepy as all hell...

[Life of Brian @ Nov 13th 2008 8:54AM]

So long as the robot mimics neurological disorders and not psychological disorders I think we're safe... for now.