Modern medical technology is making operations safer and replacing conventional surgical methods with procedures that put less strain on patients. Often, these new techniques rely on micro-control motion technology, such as minimally invasive surgery, for example, which uses small openings in the body rather than larger incisions.
Since all the components used need to be as compact as possible, micro drives are an appropriate solution for medical actuator systems. They produce high performance from very low product volumes, plus they are very easy to control and adaptable to all medical standards, making them perfect for extending the fingertip sensitivity of the operator. Minimally invasive surgery represents a significant improvement for patients, but the “operating tools” used need to meet exacting requirements in terms of flexibility, reliability, and ergonomics.
Miniature medical actuator systems used in minimally invasive surgery need to be as compact as possible. Micro drives are an effective solution because they offer high performance from small packages, are easy to control, and help increase the fingertip sensitivity of the surgeon.
The new ViKY system (Vision Control for endoscopY) developed by EndoControl is tailored to meet these everyday medical requirements. In order to accommodate all the options the system offers to the operator within the smallest possible space, the developers worked in conjunction with custom motion provider, Faulhaber. Modern micromotors with precision gears and motion controllers are now used for the precise execution of the surgeon’s control commands.
The new endoscopy system was developed with flexibility and compact design in mind from the outset. The device can handle all standard procedures in the abdomen, chest cavity, and other body cavities. Its small size, compared to other systems, means the surgeon is given better access to the patient, and allows surgeons to employ their experience in direct contact with the patient rather than being reliant on pre-filtered information on a screen.
Its comparatively low procurement and operating costs, compact size, and the fact that ease of sterilization has been incorporated into the design, make the system ideal for various surgical disciplines. Precise control and drives allow the system to be used just as effectively in different areas such as gynecology, urology, or gastrointestinal, bariatric, and thoracoscopic surgery.
Well, that does make telemedicine sound scary. AFAIK, hospitals have long been one of the biggest users of massive, high end UPS systems, at least since the early 80s when I worked in the UPS industry. OTOH, when the Northridge quake struck L.A., Santa Monica Hospital lost electricity and a lot of people got hurt.
There are a variety of motion suppliers that are providing miniaturization solutions at different levels which are being implemented in medical applications. This is one of the exciting areas for motion development. Some piezo technology solutions are integrating micro-mechatronic modules (combining controls, drives, sensors) that are ideal for use in medical devices, robotic surgical tools and precision analytical instrumentation. It also can be used to create non-magnetic motion systems for safe operation in MRI environments.
Telemedicine must be seen from a different angle I guess rather different scenarios. In a country like India or some part of Africa where there are many villages without even a primary health centre, leave alone speciality hospitals. But if one can set up a telemedicine centre, it will make the necessary medical services available to the needy. Well that does not take away the risks involved in telemedicine procedures but it is better than that of the scenario where there is no medical service at all.
It's easy to read through this article and skim right past one amazing bit of information: "Motor sizes of 1.9 mm in diameter..." That's a motor diameter of about 1/12th of an inch! I'd be curious to see how a motor of that size is manufacturerd.
I understand the surgical aspect of these small motors but I'm missing the point as to why they are advancing developments of such surgical tools with batteries.Maybe not for the surgical tools, but for post surgical implants-?Guessing batteries would be needed for a prosthetic, perhaps where tiny motors move finger joints? But I'm not clearly envisioning the application.It's different from say, a pace-maker with a 5 year battery sending a micro-pulse to a heart muscle – no moving parts in that App. -- So, why batteries-?
The advantages of medical minaturization are obvious. What I still don't get is how telemedicine. which in terms of its technological heritage is certainly related, is widely applicable. It can work in certain situations but what happens when something goes wrong? An unexpected emergency (bleeding out), power outage, or some physical movement which takes the patient out of the operational window (like falling off the operating table; I guess that's why they strap you down).
Medical surgical robots will change the face of surgery in the future. Miniature medical actuator systems used in minimally invasive surgery need to be as compact as possible. These miniature medical actuator systems will definitely be of help in applications where there is a need for precise positioning.
UK-based Plastic Logic and French company ISORG have created what the pair tout as a first in flexible printed electronics: a large area, conformable, organic image sensor printed on plastic.
For 3D printing to make the jump from rapid prototyping to manufacturing, engineers will need to find easier ways to move products from their CAD screens to their printers.
Gigabit and PoE are two networking technologies moving ahead in tandem as industrial users power remote Ethernet devices such as IP security cameras at 1,000 Mbps over existing CAT5 cable.
From Dell / Intel® New Paradigms in Design Work Scott Hamilton, vertical market strategist for Dell Precision workstations, 5/2/2013 5
Early in my career, I worked as a draftsman and remember the days of drawing on vellum with numbered pencils and Mylar with plastic lead. This was a fun experience in the sense that I ...
I've been using workstations for more than 10 years and love finding ways to get more performance from my system. With demanding professional applications that require more power each ...
A lasting memory from my first job as an engineer in an auto assembly plant is standing on hard concrete at six in the morning, vending-machine coffee clutched in hand, listening to ...
For industrial control applications, or even a simple assembly line, that machine can go almost 24/7 without a break. But what happens when the task is a little more complex? That’s where the “smart” machine would come in. The smart machine is one that has some simple (or complex in some cases) processing capability to be able to adapt to changing conditions. Such machines are suited for a host of applications, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, computers and electronics, telecommunications, consumer goods, and so on. This radio show will show what’s possible with smart machines, and what tradeoffs need to be made to implement such a solution.
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
0 
