The project was designed by a team of Johns Hopkins University researchers who believe their Smart Tissue Autonomous Robot (Star) it is a significant step toward fully automated surgery on humans.
“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,” said senior author on the study Axel Krieger. “The Star performed the procedure in four animals and it produced significantly better results than humans performing the same procedure.”
The robot excelled at intestinal anastomosis, a procedure that requires a high level of repetitive motion and precision. It involves connecting two ends of an intestine in gastrointestinal surgery, typically requiring a surgeon to suture with high accuracy and consistency.
Even the slightest hand tremor or misplaced stitch can result in a leak that could have significant complications for the patient.
The robot uses a vision-guided system designed specifically to suture soft tissue. Their current iteration is an advancement upon a 2016 model that repaired a pig’s intestines accurately, but required a large incision to access the intestine, along with more guidance from humans.
The team equipped the Star with new features for enhanced autonomy and improved surgical precision, including specialised suturing tools and state-of-the art imaging systems that provide more accurate visualizations of the surgical field.
Soft-tissue surgery is especially hard for robots because of its unpredictability, forcing them to be able to adapt quickly to handle unexpected obstacles, Krieger said. The Star has a novel control system that can adjust the surgical plan in real time, just as a human surgeon would.
“What makes the Star special is that it is the first robotic system to plan, adapt and execute a surgical plan in soft tissue with minimal human intervention,” said first author Hamed Saeidi.
A structural light–based three-dimensional endoscope and machine learning–based tracking algorithm is used to guide StarRobotic anastomosis is one way to ensure that surgical tasks that require high precision and repeatability can be performed with more accuracy and precision in every patient independent of surgeon skill,” Krieger said.
Conducted by researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the study involved a social companion robot called Robin, who can move, talk and play with others while being remotely controlled by human
As part of the research, specialists from UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital’s Chase Child Life Program conducted hour-long video visits with young patients using Robin, comparing it with other interactions using a standard tablet, from October 2020 to April 202
At the conclusion of the study period, children and their parents were interviewed about their experiences and child life specialists provided feedback in a focus group. The researchers then used a transcript of the discussion to identify recurrent and salient theme
The researchers found that 90 per cent of parents who had a visit with Robin said they were “extremely likely” to request another visit, compared to 60 per cent of parents whose children interacted with the table
Children reported a 29 per cent increase in positive affect – described as the tendency to experience the world positively, including emotions, interactions with others and with life’s challenges – after a visit with Robin and a 33 per cent decrease in negative affect. Children who had a tablet visit reported a 43 per cent decrease in positive affect and a 33 per cent decrease in negative affec
Parents whose children had a visit from Robin told the researchers their children had no change in positive affect and a 75 per cent decrease in negative affect. Parents whose children had a tablet visit reported their children had a 16 per cent increase in positive affect and no change in negative affectt.t.s.1.s.
Child life specialists who oversaw visits with Robin reported benefits that included a greater display of intimacy and interactivity during play, increased control over their hospital experience and the formation of a new, trusting friendship.
“Our team has shown that a social companion robot can go beyond video chats on a tablet to give us a more imaginative and profound way to make the hospital less stressful,” said Justin Wagner, a paediatric surgeon at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital. “As the pandemic continues, our patients are still feeling anxious and vulnerable in a variety of ways, so it’s critical that we be as creative as possible to make their experiences easier when they need our help. We saw the positive effect on children, their families and healthcare workers”.
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