Egypt Inventor makes remote-controlled robot to test COVID-19 and warn those without a mask

Tanta, Egypt:

As Egypt faces second wave of coronavirus, inventor tests remote-controlled robot capable of testing COVID-19, taking patients’ temperatures and warning them if they aren’t wearing masks in a private hospital north of Cairo.

Mahmoud el-Komy, who designed the robot, called Cira-03, says it can help limit exposure to infection and prevent transmission of the virus.

His creation, which has a human-like face and head and robotic arms, can take blood tests, perform echocardiograms and x-rays, and display the results to patients on a screen attached to his chest.

“I tried to make the robot look more human, so the patient wouldn’t fear it. So they don’t feel like a box is going in on them, ”he says.

“There was a positive response from the patients. They saw the robot and were not afraid. On the contrary, there is more confidence in it because the robot is more precise than humans.”

Cira-03 tests a patient for the coronavirus by cupping his chin and then extending an arm with a tampon in his mouth.

Abu Bakr El-Mihi, head of a private hospital where the robot is being tested, said they were using the robot to take the temperature of anyone suspected of having COVID-19.

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