Technology is evident almost everywhere nowadays, from common households to satellites orbiting the Earth from outer space. One of the major fields where technology is extremely important is the medical field. Doctors are still vital in the medical process; however, robots are beginning to appear in hospitals to carry out some of the things that doctors are trained to do. For instance, robots are presently able to accurately perform difficult surgeries. Yet, these current robots have some problems associated with them. As a result, a researcher named Linda Van Den Bedem has developed a new robot with the abilities to perform surgical operations that are a lot more beneficial and better to use in certain situations.
Van Den Bedem has named her robot Sofie, standing for Surgeon’s Operating Force-feedback Interface Eindhoven. This robot is definitely an improvement from those that are currently in operation. For example, the size and presentation of todays robots make them uncomfortable to use and waste more resources during production. The way they stand may intimidate patients. In contrast, Van Den Bedem’s Sofie is a lot smaller, which is a convenience in the operating room. Since Sofie is attached to the operating table, it is able to approach organs from different angles and is able to operate “around the corner.” These factors are very important for surgery.
The major difference however, between Sofie and other robots has to do with the way they are used. At the present moment, a majority of the robots on the market are able to perform surgeries, but the surgeon has no sense of how hard they are making the incision or handling the area that is being worked on. Sofie is equipped with what is known as “force feedback.” This allows the controller of the robot (through joysticks) to actually feel what he or she is doing, making it more realistic and beneficial to the patient.
Some people may like this new technology. They are amazed by the fact that a machine can carry out these difficult processes in which doctors attend years of school to perfect. I have never undergone any major surgery; however, I feel that if I did, I would have more trust in a trained human being than in a robot. Only doctors have the tacit knowledge, or gut feeling, that is able to distinguish certain things during surgery. Since no machine has ever passed the turing test, how would the robot know if something was going wrong during an operation? Instead of fixing a problem, a malfunction could worsen a person’s condition.
The article states that Sofie can not be put on the market for at least another five years. I don’t expect this to be a common instrument at hospitals because I feel like when it does appear on the market, it will be extremely expensive. However, those places that are able to afford it will definitely appreciate its qualities. Also, who knows what other technology will be out in five years? It may be possible that an even more advanced machine will come out that fulfills the same purposes as Sofie. Technology is constantly on the rise, so I would definitely not be surprised if Sofie is surpassed by new equipment.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100928083848.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment