On Thursday 5 December 2002 an ESA-coordinated demonstration in medical telediagnostics was carried out on board the French hospital ship Sirocco.
\nIn a project initiated by ESA in association with the Department of Space Medical Physiology at the University of Tours, the Vision and Robotics Laboratory at Bourges, Sinters Toulouse, and CNES, this was the first real-time demonstration of the use of a teleoperated robotic arm for echographic diagnosis in a remote situation.
\n
\nThe objective of the project was to demonstrate how teleoperated
\nechographic diagnosis can be carried out on patients at remote locations.
\nA radiologist at St Anne’s Hospital in Toulon used the teleoperated
\nrobotic arm to diagnose a test patient on board the ship stationed at sea.
\nWith the robotic arm, videoconferencing equipment and satellite
\ncommunications, the radiologist was able to assess the severity of medical
\nproblems from the remote site. This has important implications for
\nspaceflight and research as it means that astronauts on board the
\ninternational space station can receive diagnostic attention without
\nreturning to Earth.<\/p>\n
Medical telediagnostic research also has important implications for life
\non earth. It expands the range of remote echographic diagnosis and this
\ncan contribute significantly to the delivery of efficient medical care in
\nsmall rural hospitals in Europe where access to radiologists is
\nlimited or in situations where second opinions are needed. Remote
\nechographic diagnostics also has a role to play in remote and emergency
\nsituations such as in many parts of the third world, the polar regions and
\nat sea.<\/p>\n
The project has been funded by ESA for several years as part of its
\nMicrogravity Applications Programme and Technology Transfer Programme,
\nwith support from the Directorate of Technical and Operations Support. It
\nis an example ESA’s sustained efforts to involve universities and industry
\nin the development of space-related research which can serve to improve
\nthe quality of life on earth.<\/p>\n
‘The project reflects ESA’s continued commitment to the advancement of
\nspace science for life’, said J\u00f6rg Feustel-B\u00fcechl, ESA’s Director of Human
\nSpaceflight, ‘and aims to contribute to the development of further
\ncooperation on telemedical research among European scientific communities
\nand industry’.<\/p>\n
The demonstration was carried out in conjunction with the conference on
\ntelemedicine held in Toulon on 5 and 6 December. For specialists
\ninterested in discussing telemedicine with project managers and
\nscientists, ESA is holding an Internet Forum on Thursday 12 December from
\n14.00 to 15.00 which can be accessed via www.esa.int\/spaceflight<\/p>\n