In a demonstration that felt closer to science fiction than routine medicine, doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, remotely performed a real-time ultrasound examination on a subject located in Antarctica—thousands of kilometres away—using a robotic system controlled from Delhi.

 The historic demonstration was unveiled at AIIMS Research Day 2026, where Prof. (Dr.) Chandrashekhara S.H. and his team showed how a doctor sitting in Delhi could “feel” and guide an ultrasound probe in one of the most inhospitable places on Earth.

Through a haptic control device, the clinician’s hand movements were mirrored by a robotic arm in Antarctica, while live ultrasound images streamed back instantly. In effect, it was a hands-on scan—without the doctor ever leaving the room.

The telerobotic ultrasound system, co-developed by AIIMS New Delhi and IIT Delhi, is designed to overcome the immense challenges of delivering healthcare in extreme and isolated environments.

The project brought together a wide network of partners, including IIT Delhi, the I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics (IHFC), the National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCPOR), and Rajiv Gandhi Health Sciences (RGHS), with support from Alstrut Pvt. Ltd. At the engineering core of the system is precision and reliability.

Dr. Subir Kumar Saha, professor at IIT Delhi and Project Director at IHFC, led the development and refinement of the robotic platform, ensuring that it could operate smoothly despite long distances, time delays and harsh conditions.

Much of the groundwork—from installation to technical fine-tuning—was carried out by young researchers Udayan Banerjee and Siddharth Gupta, who helped turn the concept into a working reality.

The idea of taking this technology to Antarctica came from Dr. Vikas Dogra of RGHS, who has been closely associated with the Indian Antarctic Programme. Having witnessed first-hand the medical risks faced by expedition members, he saw telerobotic ultrasound as a way to bring expert diagnostics to a place where evacuation can take days—or sometimes isn’t possible at all. In Antarctica, healthcare is often a race against time. Expedition members work in extreme cold, complete isolation and with limited medical resources.

When emergencies such as trauma, severe abdominal pain or chest symptoms occur, doctors must quickly decide whether a patient can be treated on-site or needs evacuation. In such situations, uncertainty can be dangerous. That is where this technology could be a game-changer.

During multiple successful trials, the AIIMS team remotely performed abdominal scans, FAST trauma assessments, echocardiography, Doppler studies and neck ultrasounds, demonstrating that diagnostic-quality imaging can be achieved from across the globe.

The scans showed that expert radiological judgement does not have to be limited by geography. Behind the scenes, the project relied on strong institutional coordination. NCPOR, under the guidance of Dr. Anand Kumar Singh, provided the necessary approvals and logistical support to align the project with expedition safety protocols.

Dr. Pradip Malhotra played a crucial role in bringing together clinicians, engineers and polar researchers, ensuring seamless coordination across agencies. While Antarctica may be the most dramatic setting, the implications extend far beyond the polar ice.

Researchers say the same technology could transform healthcare delivery in disaster zones, high-altitude regions, offshore platforms and remote rural areas, where access to specialist care is often limited or delayed.

What was presented at AIIMS Research Day was more than a technical demonstration—it was a glimpse into a future where expert medical care can reach patients anywhere, even at the far end of the Earth.