In a significant step toward fully automated surgery on humans, a robot has successfully performed laparoscopic surgery on the soft tissue of a pig without the assistance of any human. The bot was designed by a team of Johns Hopkins University researchers named Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot or STAR.
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The Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot
According to a paper published in Science Robotics, the Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot carried out laparoscopic surgery to connect two ends of an intestine in four pigs. The Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot excelled at the procedure, which requires a high level of precision and repetitive movements.
Axel Krieger, of Johns Hopkins University, said; “Our findings show that we can automate one of the most intricate and delicate tasks in surgery: the reconnection of two ends of an intestine.” He further added; “Connecting two ends of an intestine is a challenging procedure in gastrointestinal surgery, requiring a surgeon to apply stitches or sutures with high accuracy and consistency. Even a slight hand tremor or misplaced stitch can result in a leak that could result in a patient suffering fatal complications.”
Progression of AI and robotics
Artificial intelligence and machine learning are becoming an essential part of the healthcare industry. AI is helping doctors, nurses, and the hospital administration streamline patients’ records, accurately diagnose the medical condition, and provide better treatment. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the focus and adaptation of remote patient care and telemedicine to ensure that patients don’t suffer due to lockdowns. The market size value of AI in healthcare is $10.4 billion in 2021 and is estimated to reach $120.2 billion by 2028 at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 48 percent. North America has shown the highest adoption rate of AI in healthcare at 58.9 percent in 2020.
Source: Guardian
