Surgical Device for Enhanced Perception

C03564: Microsurgical Tools with Feedback

Novelty:

A series of devices that provide surgeons with critical information to improve performance in terms of accuracy and time.

Value Proposition:

Microsurgical procedures, such as vitreoretinal surgery, push the limits of how small humans can manipulate small structures. What further complicates the task is that the size of the augmented tissue does not provide tactile feedback. Research shows that, while the current use of microscopes does allow surgical tasks to be accomplished with traditional tools, the lack of feedback leads to increased errors and procedure times. This technology provides a means of supplying surgeons with enhanced feedback when performing microsurgeries. Other advantages include:

Technical Details:

Johns Hopkins researchers have developed new surgical devices and methods that provide tactile and/or haptic feedback throughout a procedure. This is accomplished by incorporating contact and force sensing elements into surgical tools. These signals are then conditioned and amplified so they can be communicated effectively to the surgeon. With this, surgeons are able to perform microsurgeries that are both more successful and take less time.

Looking for Partners:

To develop and commercialize the technology as a new device in the fields of general Micro and Vitreoretinal Surgery Markets.

Stage of Development:

Prototype

Data Availability:

Under CDA / NDA

Publications/Associated Cases:

Lecture Notes in Computer Science, 1999, Volume 1679/1999, 1218-1225