When I was a presenter on the BBC's flagship science show, Tomorrow's World, in the 1990s, medical robots were a favourite story. Interestingly, prior to Covid, Prof Richardson's team was developing robots that could sneak out at night to repair holes in the road or faulty cables. Residents who are not allowed pets find stroking these robots, which respond by 'purring' when they are touched, comforting. I'm not suggesting a shiny robot future where we do away with doctors and nurses. A future where our NHS becomes more efficient thanks to robots, artificial intelligence and other technologies is just around the corner.

Source: The Nation February 20, 2021 21:56 UTC