I N D U S T R Y I N V E S T I G A T I O N to make decisions to perform actions . If you think of the robot as the mechanical piece of the system , robot vision is the cognitive piece , using visual sensors to enable the robot to navigate , make decisions and perform actions .”
The hardware behind a robotic vision system typically consists of state-of-theart cameras , sensors , and computers . Today , cameras are smaller , digital and more responsive to light . As a result , there ’ s been a revolution in resolution . Images have gotten brighter and sharper .
Camera technology has also evolved to detect other frequencies of light on the electromagnetic spectrum .
“ With some surgical cameras , you might be able to detect light that is being emitted in a spectrum that is not normally visible to the human eye ,” he said .
“ In fact , we are going beyond what humans can see , and into a world where vision systems can detect really important information that is incredibly valuable to a surgeon .”
AI prompts a paradigm shift
Combining vision systems with AI transforms the way robots process visual information , giving them the power to recognise images and learn from their experiences .
Today , AI-assisted surgical robots are operated by specially trained surgeons . But could vision systems become so advanced that an AI-assisted surgical robot could operate autonomously in the future ? Stoyanov says it ’ s a good question . Some surgical procedures could be automated in the future with more advancements in technology , he said .
The better question , he said , is : “ What kind of value could this technology deliver ?”
“ Is it increasing the number of patients that we can treat ? Is it reducing the cost of care ? Is it enabling care in places where it ’ s not available , which I think is exciting . These are the questions that need to be asked – so that we ’ re solving real challenges in surgery for patients around the world . And that ’ s exactly what we ’ re focused on at Medtronic ,” he added .
The Medtronic Hugo RAS system is commercially available in certain geographies . Regulatory requirements of individual countries and regions will determine approval , clearance , or market availability . In the EU , the Hugo RAS system is CE marked . In the US , the Hugo system is an investigational device not for sale . Touch Surgery Enterprise is not intended to direct surgery , or aid in diagnosis or treatment of a disease or condition .
Article originally posted on Medtronic . �
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