A human-like robot that can test for coronavirus and tell patients off for not wearing a face mask is undergoing trials in a hospital.
The trial is taking place at a private hospital in Cairo, Egypt, as the African county faces a second wave.
The mechanical nurse, dubbed Cira-03, can take the temperature of Covid-19 sufferers and even perform blood tests.
The robot has a human like face and robotic arms.
Built by an Egyptian inventor, the robot can also perform echocardiograms, X-rays and display the results to patients on a screen installed in its chest.
The bot was designed to look as realistic as possible to stop patients from being afraid, according to inventor Mahmoud El Komy.
It tests a patient for coronavirus by cupping their chin and then extending its arm with a swab into their mouth.
El Komy said Cira-03 will help limit exposure to the infection and prevent transmission.
He said: “I tried to make the robot seem more human so that the patient doesn’t fear it. So they don’t feel like a box is walking in on them.
“There has been a positive response from patients.
“They saw the robot and weren’t afraid. On the contrary, there is more trust in this because the robot is more precise than humans.”
The remote controlled robot scuttles around the hospital on wheels.
The trial comes as Egyptian authorities confirm the country faces a second spike in cases of coronavirus.
In total, Egypt has seen 113,027 cases of the disease, with 6,548 deaths.
