Robot knows labor

In the manufacturing plant on the southern edge of Miami, Florida, the engineers are researching and modeling pregnant women, an important medical tool.

Models of pregnant women

The model is used to train new doctors and nurses on how to handle a reversal, what needs to be done first to check the newborn, or how to treat a traumatic patient.

A robotic patient is a tool developed by Gaumard Scientific, also known as a patient model . They look like dolls but are as real as human beings, with intelligent computer systems programmed and controlled remotely. The most remarkable of these tools is that they know to wink, breathe and tell the doctor that " the baby is coming out."

Falsehoods can help prevent medical errors. Dr. Sally Miller at Vanderbilt School, USA, has used this model in teaching for many years. "It is very important to help students have a safe place to learn and make mistakes and learn from them." One of the most important parts of the interview is (after using the model) , when we discussed what had happened and what was the experience, " Miller said.

Each year, the company sells about 20,000 models to the world. The cost of a model ranges from $ 500 for the simplest to $ 65,000 for the Victorian version that speaks and breathes. In the past few years, thanks to the application of technological advances, Gaumard has improved its designs for ease of use.

Gaumard Scientific is a family-owned company, founded 60 years ago and now has more than 300 workers. The idea of a company was born after George Blaine, a doctor working for the British army during World War II, began to study materials that could help heal wounds. He created an antibiotic made from seaweed, a bone-substitute made of silicon and magnesium that could be used in surgery and created an artificial skeleton. Blaine's daughter and her husband later joined Gaumard.