Public Healthcare: AI and Robotics to Empower Medical Tools and Patient Wellbeing

Dear Colleagues,

In recent years, the healthcare industry has witnessed a remarkable transformation with research on Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Robotics. These cutting-edge technologies have revolutionised how medical tools are developed and utilised, enhancing patient well-being and healthcare outcomes. These cutting-edge technologies are propelling the field forward and spearheading a new era characterized by precision medicine and personalized care.

The integration of AI and smart devices in healthcare is not only transforming the way medical professionals deliver care but also empowering patients. By leveraging wearable devices and home monitoring systems, individuals can actively participate in their own healthcare management, monitoring vital signs, tracking medication adherence, and promoting preventive measures. This shift toward patient-centred care fosters a proactive approach to well-being and empowers individuals to take charge of their health.

A recent trend is the exploration of how the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) can work alongside Natural Language Processing and other AI-based approaches to surface capabilities allowing robots to learn from a breadth of human knowledge and allowing people to engage with robots more naturally. LLMs possess an impressive capability to encode descriptions and context in a manner that is understandable to both humans and machines. In robotics, LLMs offer the advantage of facilitating the assignment of tasks to robots through natural language queries. By integrating vision models and robotics learning techniques, LLMs empower robots to grasp the context of a person's request and determine the necessary actions required to fulfil it.

Finally, the convergence of AI and Robotics in healthcare represents a remarkable leap forward in medical technology. From improved diagnostics to robotic-assisted surgeries and enhanced patient engagement, these advancements hold the potential to revolutionize healthcare delivery, leading to more efficient, precise, and patient-centred care. As these technologies continue to evolve, we can anticipate further transformative impacts on the medical field, ultimately improving patients' overall well-being and quality of life worldwide.

Dr. Giovanni Luca Masala
Dr. Massimo Esposito
Dr. Aniello Minutolo
Guest Editors

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• assistive AI technology
• robots
• conversational agents
• natural language processing
• language models
• question answering
• diagnostic techniques
• ageing
• patient monitoring