What? Is BO Going To Unleash Robots on Ebola? -Here’s How Obama, Along with a Team of Experts, Plans to do Just That…

Floyd Brown / Western Journalism

On November 7, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy will host a conference that holds lifesaving potential for thousands of Americans.

The idea being presented at the conference is simple yet profound: If humans keep contracting deadly diseases from other humans, why not lessen people’s involvement in the patient care process?

Better yet, why not replace them with technology?

Here’s how Obama, along with a team of experts, plans to do just that…

Robot Protection

The White House has teamed with Texas A&M, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), and the University of California, Berkeley to hold what’s known as the “Safety Robotics for Ebola Workers” conference.

In fact, the current Ebola outbreak has infected more than 10,000 people in West Africa; and more than 4,400 have died from the disease. Liberia itself has had more than 4,200 cases, with 2,400 confirmed deaths.

That’s why both wheeled robots and telepresence robots are being considered to help fight the disease. And though the solution may sound a little futuristic, it’s also feasible and could be very effective.

You see, there’s almost nothing that a human can do (task-wise) that robo-replacements can’t: food and medicine delivery, body burials, even disinfecting contaminated areas.

The wheeled robots would come along with attached sprayers to decontaminate equipment. And telepresence robots would allow the sick to have contact with their loved ones (as well as healthcare workers) while under quarantine.

Facing Fears Head On