Robotic Baby Trains Doctors To Deal With Medical Emergencies

BOSTON (CBS) - She looks real. She feels real. She sounds real. And she's no dummy.

She's a wireless robot that is the world's most advanced neonatal patient simulator, recently called into service at Boston Children's Hospital.

Super Tory resembles an 8-pound baby and can virtually recreate any neonatal medical emergency.

Caitlin O'Brien is a neonatal nurse and clinical educator for the Boston Children's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). O'Brien runs mock scenarios to train nurses, doctors and other staff.

"Within a couple of tweaks of a button, we can make the baby go from a very stable, healthy newborn into a baby that is in acute distress," explains O'Brien.

Super Tory can develop breathing problems, cardiac arrest, jaundice, even seizures, at the press of a button. And not only does she move her arms and legs, but she makes lots of sounds and facial expressions, which are important cues since babies can't tell anyone what's wrong.

The baby's vital signs and movements are controlled by a behind-the-scenes engineer who communicates remotely with O'Brien through headphones. Even if the trainees make a mistake during a mock code, it becomes a teachable moment and no one gets hurt, not even the patient

Super Tory costs about $40,000 and Boston Children's Hospitals is one of the only hospitals in the country to have her

For more information about Super Tory go to www.gaumard.com/supertory.