Providing emergency assistant kits for the geriatric set seems to be all the rage these days, and now NTT DoCoMo is jumping into the mix in a presumed attempt to look after the constantly aging Japanese population. The firm's latest FOMA device is designed for bedridden individuals who aren't exactly as dexterous as they were in the good ole days, as it provides a channel of video telephony to give faraway caregivers a look at just what the problem is. Sporting a white finish and a 7-inch WVGA touchscreen display, the machine boasts automatic dialing to a user-selected individual, different fonts in order to appeal to aging eyes, a 1.3-megapixel CMOS camera, automatic answering in video mode, and a wireless remote to trigger an emergency call if panic strikes. No word just yet on how much coinage this peace of mind will run you, but there's nothing like being on call 24/7 for the great-grandparents, eh?

[Via AkihabaraNews]

Although the mainstream media would have you to believe that the nursing field is a great one to get into, we're starting to doubt the longevity of RNs here of late. Of course, there's no substitute (right?) for a nurse's touch, but just after we got wind that the IWARD nursebot would be handling the third shift duties and the HOSPI would handle all the bloodwork, there's not too many more aspects that need TLC. Unfortunately for humans, the Speci-Minder is stepping up to the plate to handle one more task, as it autonomously delivers medical samples to laboratories, enabling the staff to "spend more time with their patients." This collaborative effort between CSS Robotics and MobileRobots is already loose in Christiana Hospital near Wilmington, DE, and it can supposedly "adjust to changing environments sans wires, reflectors, or traditional guidance," allowing it to find its own way around without crashing into flesh and blood co-workers or structural obstacles. Apparently, the bots are ready and willing to go to work for your hospital ward for an undisclosed up-front charge, but we seriously doubt these poor machines will ever see a dime for their efforts. [Warning: PDF read link]

Although we sincerely hope your only encounter with a clinical assistant tablet PC comes by way of your occupation, it looks like Motion Computing is busting out a medically-focused device to help the dear LPNs keep things in order for the high-falutin' doctors. The C5 touts a vertically centered design, top-mounted carry handle, handwriting recognition, built-in digital camera for documenting wounds, time-stamp / voice-tag capabilities, and even an optional RFID reader to easily check patients in by scanning their wrist straps. Claiming to be the world's first device in the new mobile clinical assistant (MCA) category of PCs, it packs a 1.2GHz Intel Core Solo U1400 processor, Windows Vista Business or Windows XP Tablet PC Edition, a 10.4-inch XGA touchscreen, up to 1.5GB of DDR2 RAM, 30 / 60GB 1.8-inch hard drive options, 802.11a/b/g, Bluetooth, and a rechargeable Li-ion to boot. Furthermore, it weighs in at just 3.1-pounds, so toting this bad boy around the office shouldn't be too much of a burden, and the "durable, semi-sealed enclosure" shouldn't have any issues handling the daily mishaps of your average doctor's lounge. So if you've been looking for a way to digitize your office and get far, far away from those paper-filled drawers, we're sure your IT rep will be hitting you up soon to sneak a peek at this $2,199 tablet.

[Via GottaBeMobile]

We all know security gets a little heavy eyed when the wee hours of the morning roll around, and we highly doubt the janitorial staff is humming along at maximum efficiency when the residents are snoozing away, so implementing a robot to tackle both tasks seems quite practical. The IWARD project hopes to develop a "nursebot" that wears several hats, and can handle cleaning up spills, utilizing face and voice recognition technology to "communicate with patients and spot unauthorized visitors," and even working in "swarms" to distribute tasks between the robotic crew. Researchers are aiming to have a three bot prototype ready to rock by 2010, and want to integrate sensors and camera to avoid collisions whilst "traveling along high-speed lanes in the hospital corridors." Better steer grandma's wheelchair clear of the robotic raceway, eh?

[Via TechieDiva]

The Johns Hopkins University must employ some seriously bright folks, as researchers at the school are unveiling yet another marvel to benefit mankind, and this time their creation is headed for the nooks and crannies within your body that surgeons have difficulty reaching unassisted. Sure, the diminutive locales within your guts have been explored by robotic creatures before, but these "snake-like robots" could enable surgeons, operating in the narrow throat region in particular, to make "incisions and tie sutures with greater dexterity and precision." The invention consists of two thin rods tipped with "tentaclelike tools" capable of moving with six degrees of freedom; during surgery, the doctor would utilize a 3D visualization system to watch, control, and dictate the robotic tubes. Moreover, the snakes are crafted from nonferrous metals so it can be used around magnetic imaging equipment, and considering its ability to "make up 100 adjustments per second," nimbleness is in its nature. But if you're not exactly fond of such slithering creatures, you've still got time to escape, as researchers estimate that there's still about "five more years" of lab testing before we see Snakes on a Hospital Bed.

[Via Physorg]