There are more and more researchers analyzing the impact of artificial intelligence and robotics on women's health. This is the case of professors Munaza Afaq, Divya E. Abraham, Saloni H. Patel, Areen D. Al-Dhoon and Zara Arshad, linked to different Indian and American universities, authors of an article in which the improvement is limited to the “developed nations”.
As this group points out, “a significant portion of the world's population in the richest regions is lagging behind,” which, in their opinion, “generates a notable disparity.” And they add: “This is particularly evident in their health care, an area that faces global inequalities.” This has been its main motivation to delve into the confluence of the fifth industrial revolution, healthcare and gender equality.
Services such as those derived from the use of data to predict cancer trends or the application of technology for assisted reproduction have been studied in detail by this team. Their conclusion is that the historic “digital divide” remains, which, for now, prevails over inclusive design for women, especially those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds.
In this context, Afaq, Abraham, Patel, Al-Dhoon and Arshad recall “the imperative role of multi-sector collaborations” to foster innovation in this field and, thus, “mitigate risks.” That is to say, the theoretical framework is optimal, but the reality of the sector and the policies of the administrations place citizens far from the ideal situation.
The scientists responsible for this project place considerable hope in the advances of robots and artificial intelligence to overcome the current phase of stagnation. Despite their critical approach, they are optimistic when commenting on specific examples, such as the early detection of tumors in the cervix through the use of algorithms in colposcopies and magnetic resonance imaging.
The same can be said when referring to breast cancer and deep learning for the interpretation of mammograms. Another favorable area for these systems is surgical precision and the capture and processing of medical images. In addition, Munaza Afaq, Divya E. Abraham, Saloni H. Patel, Areen D. Al-Dhoon and Zara Arshad emphasize, “telemedicine and augmented reality pave the way for more complete and accessible solutions.”
