Robotic technologies to now cater health sector

Known for their extensive utility in the manufacturing and industrial sectors, robotic technologies are now being increasingly used in Japan to make products for the health sector.
Several such products like a bedside flushable toilet for elderly or ailing people, were at display at the recently held Japan Robot Week in Tokyo.
The bedside flushable toilet can be installed and moved to rooms either at home or in elderly care centres, said a representative of Toto, the company which exhibited the product.
Another booth highlighted the efforts of the Hyogo Rehabilitation Centre to use "myoelectric upper limb prostheses" meant to help the differently abled or handicapped people.

The rehabilitation attempt using modern tools and robotic assists was aimed at providing the patient with a tool, which he can use more naturally, a representative at the booth said.
Another machine called 'Tissue-Tek SmartSection' enables automation of processing samples of cancer patients. It was exhibited by the Sakura Finetek Japan Co Ltd.
The machine is expected to correspond to the growing demands of laboratory medical technologists with the rise in the numbers of people diagnosed with cancer.