Sunday, June 8, 2008

"Pregnant" Mannequin

Pregnancy-care personnel have traditionally trained with live patients. But now, says an Associated Press report, a "robot birth simulator," named Noelle, is "gaining popularity." The "pregnant" mannequin, complete with realistic pulse and cervix dilation, can be programmed to simulate a number of complications and to have relatively quick births or protracted labor. The "baby" that Noelle delivers might be a healthy pink color or a deadly blue to indicate oxygen deficiency. Why use a mannequin for training?"It's better to make a mistake on a $20,000 robot than a live patient," explains the report.

No comments: