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Surgery Using A Sunlight Scalpel
Makarand writes "Research conducted by Israeli doctors has shown that it is possible to use
concentrated sunlight instead
of lasers to perform surgery, providing a safe and
low cost alternative to laser treatment.
In their experiments sunlight was transported into the operating room
from outside using a system of optical fibers.
The concentrated rays - containing several watts
of energy - were then used in the experimental surgery conducted
on rats." Here is Wired's similar story.
Or, like in some parts of the world, the sun is intense enough only during May, June, July and August. I have indeed tested this myself. You can't fry ants in the winter, cause a) there are no ants to be seen, and b) the sunligth is not strong enough.
Just curious - are the lasers a significant cost or are they outweighed by the costs of the people controling and maintaining the laser, and the systems involved in assisting the control (intensity, focus, width etc). Would a consistent light beam be necessary for surgery and if it is, would maintaining the consistency of a sunlight beam be cheaper?
Personally I believe this is just a "party trick".
If you don't have access to a laser, are there compelling reasons to pick the sunlight system over a scalpel system?
... Giving almost 20,000 watts. hehehe. Assume you loose half of that in mechanics, it's still 10,000 watts!...
Assuyming you lose half of that in mechanics, you'll melt whatever it is that's absorbing all that heat energy.
'nuf said...