Doctors To Control Robot Surgeon With Their Eyes 99
trogador writes "Researchers from Imperial College London are improving the Da Vinci surgical robot by installing an eye-tracker, which allows surgeons to control the robot's knife simply by looking at the patient's tissues on a screen. Tracking the eyes can generate a 3D map, which in turn can make moving organs — like a beating heart — appear to stand still for easier operation. Other features include 'see-through' tissues on the surgeon's screen (so tumors can be seen underneath tissues) and 'no-cut' zones, places where the robot won't allow the surgeon to cut by mistake. Says ICL Professor Guang Zhong Yang, 'We want to empower the robot and make it more autonomous.'"
jerky movement (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:I hope they know what they're doing... (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:I hope they know what they're doing... (Score:3, Insightful)
Wasn't that the whole point with using a machine?
A human can only hold a knife so still and accurate where a machine could cut on an accuracy scales below a millimeter.
I mean do we build planes with wings that flap like a bird? It would make sense to build a machine that does surgery without the flaws the inherit instability of the human hand.
Re:Precision? (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I hope they know what they're doing... (Score:3, Insightful)
Want.
Of course with that I am less in touch with you physically and less likely to end up spattered in the half digested pasta, beans, or nachos that everyone who needs emergency intubation invariably eats right before they crap out. Honestly though I think we are both happier that way.
Secondly though, the motivation for me that makes me want to save your life is the same one that makes me select the best tool for doing so. If that is a McGrath video laryngoscope (mmmmmmmmm....) or a good old fashioned Mac 4 blade then that's what I use. It would be malfeasance from my perspective if I chose the least effective means because I was a dilettante about technology.