DAYTON, Ohio, June 7 A robot is being employed at the Nursing Institute of West Central Ohio to allow faculty members in remote locations to interact with students in class.Developed by InTouch Health of Santa Barbara, Calif., the Remote Presence Robotic System -- called RP-7 -- makes the institute at Wright State University the first nurse education center in the nation to use the robot for educational purposes."We will be using the RP-7 for a year in a pilot project to determine how it enhances the teaching environment," said Debi Sampsel, the institute ' s executive director. "This cutting-edge technology makes it possible for nursing faculty with chronic disorders or disabilities to continue to contribute to nursing education. The RP-7 is an innovative way to address the faculty nursing shortage." The RP-7 weighs about 200 pounds and is 5 1/2 feet tall, with a flat-screen monitor mounted on the top. A camera serves as the eyes to capture images of the students in the classroom that are transmitted to the professor. When in use, the professor's face is displayed on the robot's monitor.More than 100 of the robots are already working in hospitals around the world.Copyright 2007 by UPI
