Doctors at AIIMS New Delhi have performed the first remote, real-time ultrasound examination of a patient stationed at Maitri, India's research base in Antarctica. The procedure relied on a tele-robotic system that allows specialists to operate ultrasound equipment from a distance. This technology was first put to use during the Covid-19 pandemic and has since been modified to function in the severe conditions of Antarctica. The achievement shows how specialist diagnostic care can be delivered to personnel at a remote polar station without a specialist being physically present.