Intelligent Scalpels Through Touch Technology

DullTrev writes: "The BBC News site is running a story about touch technology. Basically, haptics is the science of incorporating a sense of touch into technology. Scientists at the University of Tokyo have developed a sensor which can feel. So you could have a surgeon operating with a scalpel incorporating this technology, the scalpel could push back against the surgeon when he tries to slice and dice an artery. I'm sure there could be loads of applications for this technology - most uselessly the test these scientists have been doing - stopping cutting a hardboiled egg when you get to the yolk..."

Comments

Re:Telemedicine

[Ami Ganguli]

It's not just for telemedicine. The idea is to give enhanced feedback, superior to what you would get with just touch. This would allow a surgeon cut exactly what's intended, even if visual or tactile feedback isn't enough to distinguish between different types of tissue.

What does the FDA have to say about this?

[reachinmark]

The biggest hurdle for haptics in surgery in the past has been getting FDA approval. Most US companies researching in this field typically go to the EU for their trials where people aren't so concerned about the idea of a robot interfering with surgery. I agree with the FDA -- i'd rather trust a trained doctor to not cut my artery than a software program written by a fellow compsci grad!

Our company works with haptics in surgical *training*, and I must say that this is both more effective and involves fewer regulation issues. Using haptics to simulate a surgical procedure means that surgeons can train to be better - and then they don't need a computer to stop them from killing me. Heck, it even saves pigs.