Take two aspirins, and call the robot in the morning. That may sound like really New Age medical advice, but it might not be too farfetched. Vesalius Ventures, a new venture firm, plans to fund telemedicine companies with technologies that help medical professionals diagnose and care for patients remotely.

Vesalius CEO Bernard Harris, a physician and former astronaut, says the fund is doing due diligence on 32 companies, and it will likely make its first investments this fall, with rounds of $250,000 to $5 million each.

Among technologies being evaluated are digital imaging, videoconferencing, and other developments that can be used by specialists to treat convicts in real time, without them leaving jail. Another candidate is a company developing bedside robots equipped with cameras that allow a doctor to remotely see isolated patients--as well as check vital signs.

"Everyone talks about the rising cost of health care and how technology plays a role in those rising costs," Harris says. "But telemedicine applications can help do the opposite--curtail rising costs by extending the reach of physicians."