Karnataka Doctor Achieves Breakthrough with Telerobotic Ultrasound from Delhi to Antarctica
In a remarkable demonstration of medical technology bridging vast distances, Dr. Chandrashekhara SH, a 46-year-old professor at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, recently performed a real-time telerobotic ultrasound scan on volunteers located nearly 13,000 kilometers away in Maitri, India's research station in Antarctica.
From Humble Beginnings to Global Innovation
Dr. Chandrashekhara's journey to this technological milestone began in the quiet town of Hagaribommanahalli in Karnataka's Vijayanagara district. Born to a schoolteacher father and homemaker mother, he studied in Kannada medium at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya until Class 8 before switching to English. Despite being equally drawn to engineering and medicine, he chose the latter for its direct potential to serve society.
"Wherever I go, my heart is in Karnataka," Dr. Chandrashekhara said. "I still speak to my family only in Kannada. Every chance I get, I visit my hometown. No visit to the state is complete without meeting my parents and relatives."
The Antarctica Demonstration: Testing Limits of Remote Healthcare
The groundbreaking demonstration took place on January 30 as part of AIIMS Research Day. Using a robotic arm equipped with an ultrasound probe that replicated the doctor's hand movements through a haptic device, Dr. Chandrashekhara conducted scans in real-time across continents.
"We used a haptic device and the movements I made with my hand here were replicated by the robot," Dr. Chandrashekhara explained. "Antarctica is the remotest place we can think of in terms of internet network and connectivity. If this can work there, then it can definitely be used for diagnostic tests in rural and remote areas within our country, bridging the critical diagnostic gap."
Technology Developed During Pandemic Finds New Purpose
The telerobotic scanning system was originally developed during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021-22 to enable contactless scanning of patients. This Antarctica demonstration represented a more ambitious application—testing how far the technology could reach and function effectively.
The system's capabilities extend beyond symbolic achievement:
- Support for abdominal ultrasounds
- ECG monitoring capabilities
- Detection of conditions like kidney or gall bladder stones
- Potential for various diagnostic applications in remote settings
Educational Journey and Professional Path
Dr. Chandrashekhara's medical education took him from Mysore Medical College and Research Institute in Mysuru, where he completed his MBBS, to AIIMS Delhi for his MD. Today, as a professor in the department of radiodiagnosis, he continues to push the boundaries of medical technology while maintaining strong connections to his roots.
For this doctor shaped by small-town Karnataka and guided by the principle of service, the technology represents more than mere innovation. It offers a practical pathway to bring quality healthcare closer to people in rural and remote areas across India and potentially around the world.
The successful Antarctica demonstration proves that geographical barriers need not prevent access to advanced medical diagnostics, opening new possibilities for healthcare delivery in even the most isolated communities.
