Small robotic arms measuring only 1.8 mm in diameter have the potential to surpass the precision of the human hand during medical operations, such as cataract surgery.
Cataracts are a medical condition where the eye’s lens becomes clouded. This is an area of the eye located between the iris and pupil. Without proper treatment, cataracts can lead to severe vision loss and even blindness. Currently, surgeons remove the clouded lens and carefully insert a clear, artificial replacement.
When working on such a sensitive region of the body, precision is key. It’s important for surgeons to get close to the lens of the eye, but not too close where the lens breaks. By using robotic assistance, any motion that will venture into dangerous territory can be stopped before it inflicts damage.
The two tiny robotic arms have small surgical instruments on each end. A surgeon operates the unit by moving two haptic joysticks, relaying crucial feedback and data. The potential for human error is minimized by the use of precise sensing algorithms programmed into the machine.
Some may criticize this technology, with the success rate for cataract surgery already reaching up to 98 percent, according to the American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery (ASCRS). Nevertheless, robo-assisted surgery may prove its worth in a variety of medical applications that require a delicate touch.
Chris Wagner, head of Advanced Surgical Systems at Cambridge Consultants, recently told Reuters, “I think the fact that it’s a 1.8 millimeter diameter robot that’s operating on the size scale of the eye, it’s exciting. This just opens the door to a number of different types of procedures that you can do that previously weren’t possible.”
Watch these robot assistants in the video below!