Heralding a new era 

The vision of a machine, perhaps even of humanoid appearance, that never grows tired and makes life easier for humans is a dream we have been pursuing for centuries. When modern humans first set their sights on this goal some 2000 years ago, there were numerous technological obstacles to overcome. Some developments turned out to be dead ends, while others paved the way for breakthroughs that culminated in the robotic assistants we see in the healthcare sector today.

Any discussion regarding the use of robotics as a quantum leap in medicine inevitably touches on the concept of minimally invasive interventions. Applications in cardiovascular disease are a case in point: Especially when it comes to the insertion and deployment of stents to restore free blood flow through damaged cardiac vessels, robots in conjunction with an angiography system are a valuable tool to enhance the precision of medical procedures.

That said, the use of robotics to treat cardiovascular disease is a new field that requires constant advances. This in turn requires visionaries in clinical practice and system development: Our achievements to date in the field of robot-assisted technology are made possible by people who overcome technical difficulties and break down each of the associated problems into its most elementary parts. Their unique blend of enthusiasm, stamina, and brilliance is the winning formula on which the next great milestones in medicine depend.

Telemedicine techniques combined with robotics and expanded deployment of robot-assisted medicine to other clinical fields are just two of the numerous milestones that will define tomorrow’s healthcare sector. How far has research already progressed? And what obstacles have yet to be overcome?