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Realistic Robot Designed For Dental Students

Posted by timothy on from the real-doll-with-real-teeth dept.

Zothecula writes "Tokyo's Showa University has unveiled its latest robotic dental patient. The University engaged robotics company Tmsuk to manufacture the realistic bot which is designed to simulate a number of typical patient gestures and responses, allowing dental students to experience what it's like to work with a real patient."

59 comments

  1. Tmsuk? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How do you pronounce that?

    1. Re:Tmsuk? by koolfy · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's meant to be pronounced with lots of dental tools inside your mouth.

      --
      Segmentation Fault in "Life, Universe and Everything" at line 42. Don't Panic.
    2. Re:Tmsuk? by alien9 · · Score: 1

      you do it with dentist tool stuck into your mouth.

  2. What happened to poor people by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

    So did Japan finally solve the problem of poverty or are they just planning on letting poor people go without dental care?

    Having dentistry done by students is a major way poor people are able to afford any dental care. This seems like it would deprive them of that, and at the same time cost the dental school a fortune to buy.

    1. Re:What happened to poor people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What a horrible system. This is what your NHS(National Health Service) or universal health insurance (compulsory for the rich subsidised for the poor) is for, oh sorry are you from a fascist/plutocratic neo-feudal country which does not have either?

    2. Re:What happened to poor people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Japan's national healthcare system (which doesn't require the poor to pay into) includes dental care...

    3. Re:What happened to poor people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This type of Luddite garbage makes me so mad. If dentistry can ever be automatized, costs will go down for everyone, because it's more efficient; it requires less man-hours to do the same task.
      And if it's the case that the robots cost too much (at least for now), then they simply won't be used until they can be mass produced...

    4. Re:What happened to poor people by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      The robot is the patient not the doctor you nimrod.

    5. Re:What happened to poor people by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      The country I am from has such a system, but the one I live in does not. Been here too long I guess.I am no luddite, but I am able to read the summary.

    6. Re:What happened to poor people by boristdog · · Score: 3, Interesting

      When I was young I had a crappy dentist who did lots of terrible work on my mouth.
      When I was just out of college and unemployed all the crappy dental work started to fall apart.

      A dental school gave me free dental work (I only had to pay for certain materials) fixed my teeth and I provided excellent training for several future dentists. All supervised by experienced dental professors. My current dentist tells me the work is excellent, and I paid nearly nothing for it.

      So deriding the system of dental schools providing free/cheap work for the poor is really a non-starter. Even the work done by real dentists can be utter crap if they are alcoholic shitbags like my childhood dentist. But of course we "had" to go to him because he was the one dentist who went to our church. (Which may explain part of my hatred of organized religion as well.) At least the dental students are supervised.

    7. Re:What happened to poor people by orangesquid · · Score: 1

      The poor who have rare neuropathies in their faces (like trigeminal neuralgia) do not relish the idea of being worked on by dental students. Sure, dental students working on the poor is useful, but it's not the best solution to the problem. Universal healthcare is really the best solution to that problem, although having dental students train on volunteers is still useful, though perhaps starting the training on robots would avoid some unfortunate accidents by newbies.

      --
      --TheOrangeSquid Is it any wonder things seem so awry? We swim in a sea of confusion and don't have to think to survive
    8. Re:What happened to poor people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sorry I was being to harsh, but I have had enough of people calling such systems communist without considering the affects of not having them. There is no reasonable way of separating the "worthy" from the lazy, so no charitable system can provide fairly for all who need. While may will get treated many will not and leaving people to die because of bad luck is not right. In the end I can see no reason not to provide at least basic healthcare support in any country which is not itself so poor that it deliberately leaves people to starve to death to save money. I can accept that it is easy to accept what you are used to but I am not enough of a relativist to think that this makes it right.

    9. Re:What happened to poor people by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      I agree completely.

      On slashdot and Americans in general seem to think that those without money should be left to die, rather than the state be allowed to provide basic care for all out of taxes.

    10. Re:What happened to poor people by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      I was not deriding it. Only pointing out that it is how many people of low income, AKA the poor, get dental work.

      I have many friends and family that had work done that way. I probably should have, but instead neglected my teeth until after college. Luckily the problems were fixable later.

    11. Re:What happened to poor people by h4rr4r · · Score: 1

      I agree universal healthcare would be a far better solution. I think even such a system would allow student to train on simple cases and volunteers. Sadly, the US population and other places as well, does not believe the economically disadvantaged have enough value to pay for such a thing out of taxes. Often the folks most vocal about this will cry about the value of human life when limiting another persons rights, but never when it might cost them a penny to provide medical care to that same person.

    12. Re:What happened to poor people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, just think of how much time and money could be saved if we automated the patients!

      Or, maybe the GPs mangled wording meant to say "if dentistry can ever be atomized" - in which case the treatment of tooth and gum disease with a simple aerosol spray would be miraculous.

    13. Re:What happened to poor people by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We certainly don't have the month's long waiting lists.

    14. Re:What happened to poor people by KDR_11k · · Score: 1

      You want them to exercise on real people? I'd hope they'd use these for training until they can be trusted with a real patient.

      --
      Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
    15. Re:What happened to poor people by imric · · Score: 1

      Not for the wealthy. As for the poor, fuck them, right? They deserve it for being poor, right?

      Schmuck.

      --
      Paranoia is a Survival Trait!
    16. Re:What happened to poor people by FishTankX · · Score: 1

      In Japan with mandatory national health insurance the cost of a tooth extraction is about $50 and cavaties/cleaning is about $20. You can get a cavity filled for the cost of like a six pack of tallboys.

    17. Re:What happened to poor people by EdIII · · Score: 1

      You remind me of a story with a much different ending, but very similar.

      A friend of ours in college went to this Beauty School where, apparently, some smoking hot 10 that looked like she was combined with another smoking hot 10, was busy learning how to cut hair.

      It was a riot. He would come back with the goooooofiest smile on his face because this chicks breasts kept getting pushed into his face during the shampoo and the haircut.

      I can't describe the hair cuts. He came back bleeding one time from one of his ears. I think I was drunk one time and spoke about his hair for an entire hour with everybody in hysterics.... except him.

      He did not care either. He looked like some screwed up mentally challenged dude for the next 6 months till she "graduated". After that, his hair went back to normal.

    18. Re:What happened to poor people by Spugglefink · · Score: 1

      We certainly don't have the month's long waiting lists.

      Sure we do. It always takes me at least a month to get an appointment with my dentist, and I keep my bill paid in full.

    19. Re:What happened to poor people by orangesquid · · Score: 1

      I have seen the sig "I like paying taxes; with them, I buy civilization." I do not think enough people have pondered that statement.

      When I am next employed*, I will be more than happy to pay my taxes. After all, my fiance (who has a rare facial neuralgia) has benefitted from taxpayer money via state programs.

      * = If you're in the delmarva / manhattan area, I'll work like a slave** for you to support myself and my fiance. Email me! 0.707107 at gmail.
      ** = Obviously, with all her health problems, she has still done me a world of good, or I wouldn't still be with her, so I care enough about her to work overnight shifts, overtime, etc., to make sure her healthcare costs are paid.

      --
      --TheOrangeSquid Is it any wonder things seem so awry? We swim in a sea of confusion and don't have to think to survive
  3. Hmm, A realistic mouth on a robot. by ciderbrew · · Score: 1

    Nah - They wouldn't do that next..... Would they?

    1. Re:Hmm, A realistic mouth on a robot. by vlm · · Score: 1

      Nah - They wouldn't do that next..... Would they?

      Insert realdoll joke in 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

      --
      "Science flies us to the moon. Religion flies us into buildings." - Victor Stenger
    2. Re:Hmm, A realistic mouth on a robot. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Inserting into realdoll in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1...

    3. Re:Hmm, A realistic mouth on a robot. by EvilAlphonso · · Score: 3, Informative

      No need to insert the joke, they actually borrowed some materials from the "sex doll" industry to manufacture said robot.

    4. Re:Hmm, A realistic mouth on a robot. by Zocalo · · Score: 4, Informative

      Um... This is a Real Doll. It's right there in the second paragraph of the article.

      --
      UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
    5. Re:Hmm, A realistic mouth on a robot. by djlemma · · Score: 1

      Nah - They wouldn't do that next..... Would they?

      Insert realdoll joke in 5 ... 4 ... 3 ... 2 ... 1 ...

      "Love doll" maker Orient Industry is responsible for the silicone skin (this replaces the PVC skin of the previous model) and mouth lining, which increases the realistic feel and prevents water from getting into the machinery.

      Seems like if the love doll maker is already the one manufacturing the realistic face, it's pretty likely that it will make its way into their regular product lines. No jokes needed... reality is funny enough.

    6. Re:Hmm, A realistic mouth on a robot. by SleazyRidr · · Score: 1

      I never understood why people complained about having coffee all over their keyboard... Now I know.

      --
      Is 1563649 a prime number?
    7. Re:Hmm, A realistic mouth on a robot. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Company website (goes without saying that it's NSFW)

    8. Re:Hmm, A realistic mouth on a robot. by Spugglefink · · Score: 1

      Company website (goes without saying that it's NSFW)

      Wow. Check follow to the "Love Doll Separate" and click on the third tab. That's the creepiest thing I've ever seen.

  4. Re:Video of the robot in action by bourdux · · Score: 1

    But this one has no teeth!

  5. Realistic? by DevConcepts · · Score: 1

    Can it do the "I still feel that nerve and you hit it!" floppy chair dance?
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OTYjZHKFMQ
    NSFW? Starts at about 5:00

  6. Responses? by frisket · · Score: 1

    ...designed to simulate a number of typical patient gestures and responses

    Like "Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh!"?

    I thought at first it said "stimulate a number of typical patent responses and gestures"...like trolling, perhaps?

  7. Speech by DocZayus · · Score: 0

    Will it also practice the students to understand the weird speech that comes from having 2 hands full of tools shoved in a mouth?

    --
    -- http://www.doczayus.com/
    1. Re:Speech by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I've never wanted to mod this up so much in my life. >:D

  8. Re:Video of the goatse in action by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Goatse usually is.

  9. OT: What a coincidence by tibit · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Wow, talk about coincidences. A couple days ago I was flying on ANA from Narita to Chicago, and the in-flight entertainment system had a video about how TMSUK came to be. They were showing the very dental simulator talked about here. TMSUK was started by a very colorful guy who had liberal arts background and wanted to be an archeologist (among other things). TMSUK was a spinoff company from what a production line machinery (conveyor etc) business IIRC.

    Side note: those "inspirational" videos on ANA's in-flight entertainment are quite well done. On my way there I watched the one about the ABC Cooking School and the lady who started it. Quite ingenious of a system they have. While in Japan, I ran into one of those cooking schools in a shopping center, so I signed up for a lesson online using Google translate (ha!). Nothing beats learning cooking in Japanese, without anyone speaking more than a couple words of English (and me knowing no Japanese either). It was an experience I'd repeat in a heartbeat, though.

    --
    A successful API design takes a mixture of software design and pedagogy.
  10. Marathon Man wants to know... by rocket+rancher · · Score: 0

    ...is it safe?

    1. Re:Marathon Man wants to know... by MichaelSmith · · Score: 1

      Makes me wonder if the robots response is entirely realistic if the dentist starts to do serious, painful, damage to the mouth. BTW the book is much better than the film if you get a chance to read it.

      (robot tears itself away from the dentists chair and runs down the street bare footed, pursued by security staff).

      --
      http://michaelsmith.id.au
  11. How long? by kelemvor4 · · Score: 0

    I wonder how long it will be until a student is caught screwing the doll.

  12. Been there, seen it. by marcelst · · Score: 1

    http://www.asseenontvguys.com/ProductImages/as_seen_on_tv_guys/crocodile-dentist.jpg

  13. Realistic responses? by CodingHero · · Score: 1

    Does that mean it makes unintelligible speech-like noises when the student asks a question with tools still in the mouth of the "patient?"

  14. Since it's a robot, the user should first ask: by cellocgw · · Score: 1

    "Is it safe? "

    (A big Whoooosh to all who reply w/o knowing the source of that line)

    --
    https://app.box.com/WitthoftResume Code: https://github.com/cellocgw
    1. Re:Since it's a robot, the user should first ask: by MichaelSmith · · Score: 1

      Its not safe.

      Bang!

      --
      http://michaelsmith.id.au
  15. SimMan? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So it's a dental version of SimMan? (For those who haven't had the pleasure of meeting him, SimMan can cry, bleed, blink, dilate his pupils, have an epileptic fit, etc.)

    1. Re:SimMan? by MichaelSmith · · Score: 1

      have an epileptic fit,

      Damn robots, putting me out of business...

      --
      http://michaelsmith.id.au
  16. What was it really designed for... by emazzuca · · Score: 1

    Take a look at the pictures in the link... and tell me what our fellow engineers really intended with this fembot...

  17. The Uncanny Valley by ikirudennis · · Score: 1

    For me, this lies within the uncanny valley.

  18. This is going to pinch a little. by Toad-san · · Score: 1

    [cue robot scream]

  19. Yes but does it scream? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm pretty sure I would without enough pain killer. Reminds me of a story of the dentist office I go to. In the lobby I found a book about medieval dental tech in gruesome graphically obscene detail. When I brought it to the counter they were shocked that it was out in the lobby.