New Delhi, February 16 Showcasing India's growing strength in Artificial Intelligence-enabled healthcare and frontier science, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Monday witnessed the successful live demonstration of an indigenous tele-robotic ultrasonography system linking AIIMS, Delhi, with the Maitri Research Station in Antarctica.
Referring to the ongoing discussions on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the national capital, Singh said such innovations represent the convergence of AI, robotics, and real-time medical expertise, expanding the reach of specialist healthcare beyond geographical barriers.
Developed jointly by AIIMS and IIT Delhi in collaboration with the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, the system enabled a doctor in Delhi to conduct a real-time ultrasound examination of a volunteer located over 12,000 kilometers away in Antarctica.
The robotic arm, equipped with an ultrasound probe, offers six degrees of freedom, replicating the precise hand movements of an expert sonographer. With force-sensing safety features and diagnostically reliable imaging delivered with less than one-second delay, the system facilitates emergency-focused assessments, including FAST scans, abdominal organ evaluation, cardiac assessment, and trauma screening.
Designed for extreme and remote environments, the technology assists in critical decisions regarding whether a patient can be managed locally or requires evacuation, which is especially significant in Antarctica, where airlifting is both costly and logistically complex.
Built with affordability, robustness, and scalability in mind, the system has the potential for deployment in border areas, disaster zones, rural health centers, and mobile medical units across the country.
Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, said the initiative reflects Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of "whole of science" and "whole of government," bringing together institutions across ministries for a common national purpose.
He noted that India's polar expeditions and ocean missions are not limited to geoscience research but are increasingly becoming platforms for innovation with real-world applications. The tele-robotic system, inspired by the challenges faced during Antarctic expeditions, is an example of how field experience can translate into scalable technological solutions, he said.
The minister also spoke about the growing rural-urban healthcare divide and the difficulty of ensuring specialist presence in remote regions despite adequate human resources.
He said emerging technologies such as telemedicine, AI-driven diagnostics, and robotic intervention can bridge this gap and redefine clinical practice in the coming years. He added that India's advances in deep ocean research, Arctic policy, the Antarctica Act, and digital health infrastructure reflect a broader shift towards integrated scientific governance.
Dr M Ravichandran, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, said the innovation could significantly reduce the need for emergency evacuations from Antarctica and strengthen India's collaborative scientific presence in polar regions. He described it as a model of inter-institutional and inter-ministerial synergy.
Singh said that innovations emerging from India's scientific ecosystem today are expanding the frontiers of accessibility, making high-quality healthcare possible from Antarctica to the remotest villages and reinforcing India's march towards a developed nation powered by science, technology, and integrated governance.
