London — The world’s first intelligent micro-drill for surgery, which can help save the hearing of patients, is to be showcased in London on Wednesday, November 3rd at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) ‘Robotics in Surgery’ conference at Birdcage Walk, London.
Attendees can catch a glimpse of the device, which could potentially revolutionize micro-surgery and significantly improve patient recovery, according to The Institution of Mechanical Engineers, which is sponsoring the event.
The medical robot, which has been successfully trialed in cochlear implant surgery, can intelligently distinguish between different types of tissues, identify the exact point of perforation and drill autonomously to a precise depth, all without having to be programmed. The sophisticated device is able to respond to tissue type, behavior and deflection in real time, and will be presented by Professor Peter Brett of Brunel University, who developed it.
Surgical robots are increasingly being used as surgeons are demanding more accuracy with smaller incisions. The benefits of utilizing them, including allowing surgeons greater precision, reduced excess tissue damage and fewer complications all result in a reduced post-operative stay for patients.
Innovative medical technology being used to design swimming and crawling robots, which can move freely within body cavities, will be discussed at the conference, proving a fascinating insight into surgeries in the future.
Commenting in a press statement about the hearing microsurgery, Brett explained, “The smart micro-drill can detect tissue interfaces before penetration and then intelligently either control penetration through such delicate structures or avoid penetrating altogether as required, reducing unnecessary tissue damage and enabling more precise implantation of hearing devices.”
Find out more about the conference at events.imeche.org.
SOURCE: Institution of Mechanical Engineers
