November 14, 2017: AMCHAM (American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai), held a special event on November 14. This event was called AMCHAM Shanghai Innotech 2017-2037. The theme was all about the exciting technologies that are spreading around the world. IoT, robotics, AI, AR, and VR are just a few to name. Experts in these fields came from all over world to discuss what the future holds, how will people be impacted, and examine how new technology will reshape industries and society as a whole.
QIHAN Technology produces one of the most advanced AI robots in the world. These robots, called Sanbot, have caught the attention of many people in the technology field. AMCHAM invited Ten Wu, Vice President of Sales at QIHAN Technology, to share some of his expertise on the role robotics will play, particularly in the healthcare industry. Mr. Wu was part of a great panel discussing the role AI, VR, and robotics play in the healthcare industry and its impact.
In addition to Mr. Wu, the panel included Youngjin Yoo (Professor at Case Western Reserve University and the moderator), Chong Fee Yeen (Head of Innovation Global Air at Philips China), Kerry Blanchard (Senior VP China External Innovation at Eli Lilly), and Ennin Huang (Vice President of Design at Pico Technology). Mr. Yoo questioned the panel on a variety of issues. Questions ranged from can technology make hospitals irrelevant, to who will pay for this kind of technology? Everyone in the panel had tremendous knowledge about this subject.
One of the main issues the panel addressed was a lack of awareness from patients. The panel was optimistic that technology will help people become healthier. This would stem from people that will be able to learn about their body from technology in a whole new setting. The intelligent healthcare robots remind patients when and how much of their medicine to take, a patient being able to have a VR meeting with their doctor were just some of the possibilities technology offers. One hot topic was everyone’s interest in a robot’s role in the hospital, which is where Mr. Wu was able to shed some light on the subject.
One of the questions was exactly how robots can be beneficial to the healthcare industry. Mr. Wu explained how robots are a great way to carry AI. An intelligent robot with AI can not only perform physical tasks (surgery, transporting patients, etc.) but also help save time for doctors, nurses, and patients. How? Diagnosing patients is the best place to start. Mr. Wu explained how AI is already helping doctors diagnose patients, especially AIs like IBM Watson, which both Sanbot B2B models have. So, the robot can interact with patients and help determine if they have a common cold or they, in fact, do need to see a doctor.
The AI robot can also collect that information to streamline the process, saving a healthcare professional time when gathering the data they need to heal a patient. Mr. Wu also talked about how for home use, robots can connect to other health devices for added benefits. For example, a robot could connect to a person’s Fitbit and help them keep up their fitness rate. Another question presented to Mr. Wu was, “what do people think about having to talk to a robot as if it were a real doctor?” Mr. Wu stated that if the robot’s voice is pleasant and the robot is appealing to look at, patients do not have a problem interacting with the intelligent service robot.
Overall, the panel addressed some very talked-about issues regarding technology and the healthcare industry, and Mr. Wu was able to inform people on what artificial intelligent robotics can actually do and its true potential. The topics discussed will not be going away soon, so it is important to listen what people have to say so we can utilize technology to improve the world, and that goal is what every person in the panel wants to accomplish.