Keiko the robot patient helps train a new generation of robot doctors
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted Nov 12th 2008 2:54PM
posted Nov 12th 2008 2:54PM
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."
[Warning: Read link requires registration]
[Warning: Read link requires registration]
I like Scrubs.... =)
"You mean why is there silverware in the pancake drawer? ulgh!"
John McGinley is the only thing going for that show. That, and the hot blonde chick.
McG was hilarious in office space, too.
Scrubs was the first thing I thought of when I saw that picture.
Ok, I missed the cheap photochop and scrubs reference, man its time to get out of here.
OH MY FCKIN GOD !!!!! KILL IT, KILL IT !!!!
I'm creepily reminded of the scientists and Natalya from N64 Goldeneye.
eagleeeeeee!!
Red or Blue wire, which one do I cut?!
I think that doctor looks more creepy than the robot.
have you ever seen scrubs?? or do you think thats some public domain image of a doctor?
....or any horrible movie that Zach Braff is in.
looks like its got down's baddd
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!
Yes, your avatar and name just scream of anarchist teen-angst towards the end-of-the-world.
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.
@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.
What's a hoomo?
allislost with allislost.
You sir, make iEye look like the prophet.
I wish you had to be at least twelve to register comments.
Holy hell those are some creepy faces! Is the future of medicine supposed to scare me to health?
Creepy is right. That thing has more forehead than Mena Suvari.
I've always wanted a robot with extra chromosomes!!
Robots thinking they're people? This is exactly how the war with the cylons started.
Does she have 3 copies of the 21st chromosome?
Look at that face, of course she does! (I kid, I kid)
What's next? Gynaecologists who train on Real Dolls?
But... can it love?
Indeed I am, sir, though I am now equipped with an emotion chip that enables me to feel what a human would feel.
"why...why was i programmed to feeeeel pain?'
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?
Why does that robot look exactly like Christina Ricci
the PS work makes the scrub man nurse face creepily thin.
...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.
Thanks for being classy on this one. Gizmodo's "story" disgusted me.
"My tears cure cancer too, it's just that I laugh at cancer patients." - Zach Braff on Chuck Norris
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.
*scary arms* *Scary aaarms* *Scary AAAARRRRMMMMMMMSSS!!!!!!!!!
seriously I do not want that thing getting something caught on my vital organs.
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!
that thing is creepy as all hell...
So long as the robot mimics neurological disorders and not psychological disorders I think we're safe... for now.