Q: Is it true that dentists may soon train on robots that can say "ouch?"
A: It is indeed true. At a major robotics convention last November in Tokyo, Japan showed off a number of advanced models, including a humanoid robot fitted with a mouthful of replica teeth for dentistry students to work on. "Ow, that hurt!" a female robot complained after a young dentist drilled too close to a robotic "nerve." When the dentist eased off, the robot said, "Now, I'm OK."
Dentistry, like all fields of human endeavor, continues to incorporate cutting-edge technology and knowledge into its practice. The Japanese robot even has a name: Simroid, for "simulator humanoid." Simroid has a realistic looking face, with eyes, nose and mouth. Sensors are embedded in the teeth to resemble nerves, triggering the "ouch" reflex when a student is inaccurate or heavy-handed. Simroid is the result of collaboration between the doctors at Nippon Dental University in Tokyo and technicians at Kokoro Company.
Simroid is still undergoing refinement. Planned next is a function that will let students inject anesthetic into robotic gums. Dentists around the world are working on techniques and tools that will make dentistry an even more effective discipline in the future.
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