Joint Medical Cobotics Center Inaugurated by IIIT Delhi and IIT Delhi
The technology innovation hubs of IIIT-Delhi (iHub Anubhuti-IIITD Foundation) and IIT Delhi (iHub Foundation for Cobotics) have joined hands to inaugurate a groundbreaking medical facility known as the Medical Cobotics Centre (MCC) on the Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Delhi campus.
The MCC will offer specialized training programs designed in collaboration with leading doctors and experts, primarily sourced from the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS). This state-of-the-art center is geared to train a diverse group, including doctors, paramedics, technicians, engineers, biomedical researchers, and aspiring entrepreneurs.
IIIT Delhi proudly asserts that the Medical Cobotics Centre is fully equipped to provide hands-on simulation training to medical professionals across the country. Moreover, the Cobotics center has announced its inaugural call for proposals aimed at supporting young start-ups in the digital healthcare and medical healthcare sectors, with funding opportunities of up to Rs 1 crore.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, has generously funded this collaborative facility, which is operated jointly by the technology hubs of both institutes. The MCC is poised to introduce cutting-edge technologies that will advance medical research and development, particularly in the fields of healthcare robotics and digital healthcare.
Furthermore, the MCC will serve as a testing ground for emerging start-ups in the medical industry that are pioneering innovations in digital medical healthcare, healthcare augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR), artificial intelligence (AI), cobotics, robotics, cognitive sciences, and more, as stated in the official press release.
During the inauguration ceremony, Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, Secretary, SERB, and Senior Advisor, DST, GOI, emphasized the significance of this event, stating, “This inauguration marks a unique convergence of engineers and doctors, symbolizing the deep collaboration within this MCC and the importance of simulation in testing various medical technologies. In general, most people believe that doctors have unlimited abilities. However, it is important to understand that doctors are also humans who rely on technology to deliver effective treatments.”
Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi, expressed his enthusiasm for the MCC, saying, “IIT Delhi is delighted to announce the opening of the Medical Cobotics Centre. Healthcare and engineering combine to provide the next frontier. We believe the medical simulator will add to our existing initiatives on medical devices like mPRAGATI to create an innovative ecosystem to provide modern healthcare and create partnerships between IIT Delhi, IIIT, AIIMS, and other hospitals.”
Prof. Ranjan Bose, Director, IIIT Delhi, emphasized the significance of the collaboration, stating, “This is indeed a momentous occasion that the Technology Innovation Hubs of two top institutes have come together and are collaborating on a very important area – medical cobotics. There are some well-known advantages of medical cobotics where humans work alongside intelligent and automated technology to improve accuracy and efficiency without losing the human touch.” He further added, “This Centre would strive to develop smart solutions to improve the quality of patient care, augment operational efficiencies, and create safer work environments for our healthcare practitioners.”