The Nottingham (U.K.) Trent University's medical design research group is developing robotic arms to assist in spine surgery, according to Zenopa.
By drilling holes into individual vertebra, the robotic technology is designed to minimize risks to patients. The robotic arms also provide live visual feedback, describing the depth of the holes drilled.
Dr. Bronek Boszczyk is a consulting spine surgeon on the project. “It is paramount that spinal procedures are carried out with total accuracy in order to minimize what can be substantial risks to a patient," he told Zenopa. "This technology has the potential to minimize those risks by performing a key part of the operation with accuracy which cannot be achieved by a human hand.”
The technology has proven to record 0.1-millimeter drilling accuracy while working naturally with the patient's spine throughout the entire operation.