'Alter-Ego': An Italian hospital's little robot carer (opens in new tab)

Named "Alter-Ego", the 1.2-metre tall robot can stand in for a doctor working remotely, bring a patient a bottle of water or guide them to treatment. Daniel Senna, a 31-year-old patient at the Maugeri Hospital, transmits his pain level on a screen attached to the robot's chest. "Hi Dani. How are you? Do you need anything?" Ego asks wheelchair-bound Senna, as the data collected is sent instantly to the ward's nurses. The robot has been undergoing testing since April in a department which treat...