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Solar Surgery

Posted by michael on from the burning-ants dept.

Chris writes "Scientists in Israel have developed a device based on a concave dish that intensifies sunlight by a factor of 15,000. By focusing this light into an optical fiber and delivering it to an operating theatre, the team says its solar-surgery setup promises to be a low-cost alternative to laser surgery." Everyone who used to operate on GI Joe figures with a magnifying glass is cheering for this to be commercially successful.

4 of 255 comments (clear)

  1. Best where electrical power is questionable.... by King_TJ · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Despite all the jokes on here about it, I think it has applications in 3rd. world countries where reliable electrical power isn't a given.

    In countries like the United States, every hospital has backup power generators, uninterrupted power supplies, and so forth -- on top of being connected to a pretty reliable power grid. I can't see someone choosing sunlight over an electrically powered laser beam for surgery. The greater initial expense of the laser is quickly offset by money lost on surgeries that couldn't be performed due to weather conditions.

    In a relatively undeveloped country, however, this might make a lot of sense! It could give new options to doctors who simply couldn't count on a laser-based setup to function reliably, or couldn't afford it to begin with.

  2. Re:Bad idea by Total_Wimp · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I can't help but wonder that if regular concentrated sunlight can produce good results then can regular concentrated incandescent or fluorescent lights also produce good results. It seems to me that this is a spread-spectrum vs. coherent light proof-of-concept since there's nothing particularly special about sunlight itself (other than being free and bright) My guess is that manmade lights would still save lots of money over lasers but you could work 'em in the basement at midnight. TW

  3. Lighting your office by gouldtj · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I've always wondered about the idea of having natural light in a large building. I wonder if you could concentrate the light this much, it would be economical to run one 'super fiber' down 30 stories, then split it out. I would love being able to get natural light instead of the flourecent stuff...

  4. Re:GI Goe! by Viadd · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Lithotripsy is the use of shock waves from external explosions focussed on e.g., a kidney stone, to break it up.
    How it works.