Historic Revolution in Healthcare: Live Ultrasound from Delhi to Antarctica Showcases Tele‑Robotics and AI

India has made a significant advancement in medical science and technology with the development of the Tele-Robotic Ultrasonography (TUS) system. On Monday, Union Minister of State for Science and Technology, Jitendra Singh, observed a live demonstration of this system, which directly connected New Delhi with India’s Maitri Research Station in Antarctica.

The distance between the two locations exceeds 12,000 kilometers, making the demonstration a unique application of tele-robotic healthcare.

During the live demonstration, a radiologist based in New Delhi conducted a real-time ultrasound examination of a volunteer located in Antarctica. The TUS system was developed jointly by AIIMS Delhi and IIT Delhi, with support from the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research under the Ministry of Earth Sciences.

One of the key features of the system is its robotic arm, which precisely replicates the hand movements of an expert sonographer. The arm includes force-sensing safety mechanisms, and the imaging delay is less than one second, ensuring accurate and reliable diagnosis even across great distances.

Jitendra Singh highlighted that this technology is particularly useful for extreme environments like Antarctica, where patient evacuation is both difficult and costly.

The system allows doctors to assess whether treatment can be provided locally or whether urgent airlift is necessary.It can be used for a range of medical purposes including abdominal organ evaluation, cardiac assessment, and trauma screening in emergency situations.

The minister also pointed out that telemedicine combined with AI and robotic interventions can help reduce the gap between rural and urban healthcare services. Its durability, low operating cost, and ability to function remotely make it suitable for deployment in border areas, disaster-affected regions, rural health centers, and mobile medical units.

This integration of tele-robotics with healthcare not only improves access to specialist services but also provides timely medical attention to patients in areas where conventional healthcare infrastructure is limited.

Overall, the TUS system demonstrates the practical application of modern technology to extend healthcare services to remote and challenging regions, enabling accurate diagnosis and patient care without the need for physical relocation over long distances.