Better Surgery With New Surgical Robot Featuring Force Feedback

While surgical robots are somewhat common, they all have a fatal flaw: the surgeon is unable to feel pressure or any other feedback as to what he or she is doing. That’s where Linda van den Bedem steps in. She has developed a robot named Sofie (Surgeon’s Operating Force-feedback Interface Eindhoven) that provides tactile feedback to the surgeon via the joysticks that the surgeon uses to operate. This counter pressure allows the surgeon to feel exactly what he or she is doing thus reducing the chance of making a potentially life threatening error. Sofie is also very compact so it takes up less space in the OR and keeps the room from having to be rearranged every time it is used.

I am very interested in this article because I have seen a typical surgical robot and control station up close, and have witnessed doctors practicing with it. It appeared to be very difficult to operate, and it doesn’t help at all that the surgeon cannot feel what they are doing. I am very excited at the prospect of Sofie and what she might bring to the surgical table.

Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100928083848.htm