Scribd
Upload
25 views

AI in Medicine - Introduction

This document provides an introduction to artificial intelligence and its applications in medicine. It discusses the early history and development of AI, from its origins in robotics and automation to modern applications in fields like chess and cybernetics. The document then focuses on current and potential future uses of AI within healthcare and medicine.

Uploaded by

Gabriela Stanciulescu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
25 views

AI in Medicine - Introduction

This document provides an introduction to artificial intelligence and its applications in medicine. It discusses the early history and development of AI, from its origins in robotics and automation to modern applications in fields like chess and cybernetics. The document then focuses on current and potential future uses of AI within healthcare and medicine.

Uploaded by

Gabriela Stanciulescu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

AI in medicine - Introduction

1. Introduction
Artificial intelligence (AI) is generally accepted as having
started with the invention of robots. The word robot, spelled
robota in Czech, was introduced into the literature by the
writer Karel Capek in his 1921 play, “R.U. R” (Rossum's Universal
Robots). It signified a factory where biosynthetic machines are
used as forced labor. In the middle of the last century, Isaac
Asimov immortalized the word “robot” in a collection of short
stories of modern science-fiction. The first mention of a
humanoid automaton, however, can be traced back to the
third century in China when a mechanical engineer, Yan Shi,
presented to the Emperor Mu of Zhou, a human shaped figure
of mechanical handiwork built with leather, wood and
artificial organs [1].0 In the 12th century, a Muslim golden
age scholar, polymath, inventor, and mechanical engineer
named al-Jazari created a humanoid robot able to strike
cymbals. During the Renaissance period, Leonardo da Vinci
made a detailed study of human anatomy to design his
humanoid robot. His sketches drawn in 1495, were only
rediscovered in the 1950s. Leonardo's robot was a knight
robot that was able to stand-up, sit-down, wave arms and
move head and jaw. It was operated by pulleys and cables.
More important than his accomplishments in this area, da
Vinci's sketchbooks were a source of inspiration for a generation
of robotic researchers, some of whom worked at NASA.
In medicine, a surgical system made by the American
company, Intuitive Surgical, was named Da Vinci in recognition
of his inspirational impact. It was approved by the
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2000, and the
number of units in operation around the world is now
over 5000. Da Vinci surgical systems facilitate complex
surgery using a minimally invasive approach, and can be
controlled by a surgeon from a console. The system is
commonly used for prostatectomies and gynecologic surgical
procedures. It is starting to be used for cardiac valve repair.
The evolution of robots made a change in direction with
the first robot to be recognized as revolutionary in its
mechanical realistic conception being the “Flute Player”,
conceived in the 18th century by the French inventor, Jacques
de Vaucanson, as an innovative “automaton” playing the
pipe. It had a repertoire of 12 songs. Two centuries later,
William Gray Water became famous in 1948 for the
fabrication of the first electronic autonomous robot, which
he named Machina Speculatrix. His goal was to demonstrate
how the brain functions. It revealed that connections
between a small number of “brain cells” could lead to very
complex behaviors. John McCarthy coined the term “artificial
intelligence” (AI) in 1955, defining it as “the science and
engineering of making intelligent machines”. He was very
influential in the early development of AI. With his
colleagues he founded the field of AI in 1956 at a
Dartmouth College conference on artificial intelligence.
The conference gave birth to what developed into a new interdisciplinary
research area. It provided an intellectual framework for all
subsequent computer research and development efforts.
During the following years, computers started to solve
many complex mathematical problems that soon became
of interest to the Department of Defense of the USA. Then,
after a period of slowdowns in the 80’s, a new golden era
restarted with the use of logistic data mining and medical
diagnosis. Instruments with increasing computational
power were developed. This new capability allowed Big
Blue to finally beat the world Chess champion, Gary
Kasparov on May 11, 1997.
Today, AI is considered a branch of engineering that
implements novel concepts and novel solutions to resolve
complex challenges. With continued progress in electronic
speed, capacity, and software programming, computers
might someday be as intelligent as humans. One cannot
neglect the important contribution of contemporary cybernetics
to the development of AI.
Defined as a trans-disciplinary approach, cybernetics aims
for control of any system using technology that explores
system regulation, structure and constraints, most notably
mechanical, physical, biological, and social. The origin of
cybernetics is attributed to Norbert Wiener [2], who formalized
the notion of feedback, with implications for engineering,
systems control, computer science, biology, neuroscience,
philosophy, and the organization of society. Fields that were
most influenced by cybernetics are (if we exclude game
theory) systems theory, sociology, psychology (especially
neuropsychology and cognitive psychology), and theory of
organizations.
Today literature on AI is abundant and unbridled. AI was
portrayed as a possible threat to the world economy during
the 2015 economic forum held at Davos, where Stephen
Hawking even expressed his fear that AI may one day
eliminate humanity [3]. We will not discuss here the use of
this rapidly developing field in military, security, transport or
manufacturing; instead, the focus of our chapter is on
medicine and health systems.

You might also like