Researchers Scrambling To Build Ebola-Fighting Robots

Lucas123 (935744) writes U.S. robotics researchers from around the country are collaborating on a project to build autonomous vehicles that could deliver food and medicine, and telepresence robots that could safely decontaminate equipment and help bury the victims of Ebola. Organizers of Safety Robotics for Ebola Workers are planning a workshop on Nov. 7. that will be co-hosted by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, Texas A&M, Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the University of California, Berkeley. "We are trying to identify the technologies that can help human workers minimize their contact with Ebola. Whatever technology we deploy, there will be a human in the loop. We are not trying to replace human caregivers. We are trying to minimize contact," said Taskin Padir, an assistant professor of robotics engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Comments

Technology might not help.

[nimbius]

In the most heavily affected areas, terrible hygene contributes directly to Ebola. Most of this is a direct result of things like tribal healers or mysticist traditions that involve the direct handling of and exposure to the bodily fluids of the deceased. Religion has also compounded efforts to treat ebola victims as some tribes have spiritual leaders that insist quarantine teams and hospitals are demons or not to be trusted. Among other diseases, Its why eradicating polio in africa has become an almost impossible effort as the oral treatment is widely considered to be a secret plan to cause sterility. We have the same issues in america, albeit to a lesser extent with anti-vaccination conspiricists and seventh day adventists that refuse to immunize their children or set foot in a hospital.

This is controversial but it should be said. but the biggest problem, religion, cant be solved with technology because religious zealots dont operate logically.