Feasibility of AI and Robotics in Indian Healthcare

Abstract

In contemporary times, the pivotal significance of robots, artificial intelligence (AI), and Internet of Things (IoT) technology has fundamentally transformed the healthcare sector. Healthcare businesses are progressively embracing artificial intelligence (AI) and its associated technologies in response to their growing prevalence in the corporate domain. The use of these technologies holds the promise of enhancing several aspects of patient care and administrative procedures within providers, beneficiaries, and pharmaceutical entities. There has been a growing potential for advanced robotics to significantly benefit the healthcare sector in recent years, owing to notable developments in several current technologies. A robot may be defined as a mechanized system that is programmed and actuated, with a certain level of autonomy. Medical robotics has seen significant advancements since the first development of prototypes based on industrial robots during the 1960s–1970s. Initial versions of these technologies have undergone significant development and have transformed into advanced and complex platforms that support doctors, patients, and attendants in modern healthcare environments. With time, robots have shown their utility and undergone advancements, enabling them to work inside restricted environments within the human anatomy, aid individuals in regaining the functionality of wounded limbs, and assist those with physical and cognitive impairments. Nevertheless, the use of robots in the healthcare sector may be controversial due to apprehensions about financial implications, accessibility of skilled workforce, and opposition towards embracing technological advancements. The dissemination of these technologies to the country's peripheral settlements and rural areas, which most people inhabit, poses the most significant challenge. This chapter presents a comprehensive review of the current state of robotics in the healthcare industry, highlighting the associated issues and obstacles.