Institute of Medical Robotics, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240 Shanghai, China.
Department of Automation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240 Shanghai, China.
Sci Robot. 2021 Mar 31;6(52). doi: 10.1126/scirobotics.abf1462.
The world was unprepared for the COVID-19 pandemic, and recovery is likely to be a long process. Robots have long been heralded to take on dangerous, dull, and dirty jobs, often in environments that are unsuitable for humans. Could robots be used to fight future pandemics? We review the fundamental requirements for robotics for infectious disease management and outline how robotic technologies can be used in different scenarios, including disease prevention and monitoring, clinical care, laboratory automation, logistics, and maintenance of socioeconomic activities. We also address some of the open challenges for developing advanced robots that are application oriented, reliable, safe, and rapidly deployable when needed. Last, we look at the ethical use of robots and call for globally sustained efforts in order for robots to be ready for future outbreaks.
世界对 COVID-19 大流行毫无准备，而复苏可能是一个漫长的过程。长期以来，人们一直期待机器人能够承担危险、枯燥和肮脏的工作，通常是在不适合人类的环境中。机器人能否用于对抗未来的大流行？我们回顾了传染病管理中机器人的基本要求，并概述了机器人技术如何在不同场景中使用，包括疾病预防和监测、临床护理、实验室自动化、物流以及社会经济活动的维护。我们还解决了一些开发面向应用、可靠、安全且在需要时能够快速部署的先进机器人的开放性挑战。最后，我们探讨了机器人的道德使用问题，并呼吁全球持续努力，以使机器人为未来的疫情做好准备。
