NEW DELHI: A patient thousands of kilometres away in Antarctica was examined by doctors sitting in Delhi — not through a video call, but via a live ultrasound scan. The demonstration by doctors at AIIMS shows how specialist medical care can be delivered across continents.
At AIIMS Research Day 2026, doctors remotely controlled an ultrasound probe mounted on a robotic arm at an Indian Antarctic station. As the probe was manoeuvred, real-time images were transmitted back to Delhi, allowing doctors to conduct the scan almost as if they were standing beside the patient.
The system has already been tested through multiple trials, with doctors successfully performing abdominal ultrasounds, trauma scans, heart imaging, Doppler studies and neck scans. Officials involved said the image quality was sufficient for clinical decision-making despite the extreme distance and challenging conditions.
Prof (Dr) Chandrashekhara SH of AIIMS said the technology is currently in testing mode, but has strong potential for use in remote and underserved areas, with plans to expand its application in the future.
Medical care in Antarctica is unlike anywhere else.
Expedition members work in extreme cold, complete isolation and with very limited medical infrastructure. When sudden emergencies occur, doctors must decide quickly whether a patient can be treated locally or evacuated, a process that can take days or may not be possible at all due to weather. In such situations, the lack of immediate diagnostic tools can be life-threatening.
The telerobotic system was jointly developed by AIIMS New Delhi and IIT Delhi, along with IHFC, the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, and Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital.
Doctors said the technology could also be deployed in disaster-hit areas, high-altitude regions, offshore installations and remote rural parts of India, where access to specialist care is limited or delayed.
Anuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India,...
Read MoreAnuja Jaiswal is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Times of India, with an impressive 18-year career in narrative journalism. She specializes in health and heritage reporting, expertly simplifying complex health information to make it engaging and understandable for readers. Her deep dives into heritage topics are well-researched, resulting in captivating narratives that resonate with her audience. Over the years, she has worked in Chandigarh, Chhattisgarh and West UP, gaining diverse on-ground experience that shapes her storytelling.
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