Surgical Robotics Lab
By Ashley Johnson

Above: Research on surgical robots takes place in Scott Engineering Center. Photo: Ashley Johnson

The biggest thing I like about what we do here is that it's really big project-oriented stuff," said Jeff Hawks, a Ph.D. graduate student in the College of Engineering. By "stuff," Hawks means surgical robots that have the potential to revolutionize the medical field.

Dr. Shane Farritor, associate professor of Mechanical Engineering at UNL and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, initiator of the project, will see the project through until the end. He and the students build and test the robots, rather than just using simulations. There are few projects throughout the country like this: a miniature approach to surgery that has not been seen before. These robots are being created in the Robotics and Mechatronics Lab in Scott Engineering Center.

The surgical robotics project could produce new robots with many advantages. The daVinci, a robot currently used in surgery, is a huge hospital robot. Now, UNL engineers are working on making robots on a miniature platform scale. Engineers are hoping to create robots that can be used more than once, greatly cutting costs for hospitals. The robots will be wireless, eliminating the common problem of tangled wires. They will be inserted into the body using fewer incisions. Instead of three to five incisions, there will likely be only one, greatly reducing the trauma done to the patient's body.

The remote control device above is used to control the surgical robot shown below. Photo: Ashley Johnson

Surgical robots can assist doctors in many ways. They are equipped with graspers, which can be used for biopsies or cutting tissue. The robots can give sensory feedback, such as temperature or pressure. They are also useful visually, as they allow doctors to see inside a patient's body from many angles.

These robots can be applied to many situations. For example, they could save many lives in war. Instead of waiting for a surgeon, a robot could be inserted into a soldier. The doctor could control the robot and the surgery without even being near the soldier.

Another application deals with rural farming. Since rural farms can be far away from medical help, these robots could be employed in times of emergency when help is not readily available.

Steve Nogel, a sophomore in Biological Systems Engineering, noted the importance and relevance of surgical robots.

"I am excited for the use of surgical robotics not only as an engineering student but also a potential patient. Surgical robotics will not only increase the precision of surgeries but will also expand the potential of what surgeons can actually do. This field should prove to be beneficial as technology increases and can only increase the success of surgery in general."

Hawks says the project is in the middle stages. They are trying to decide whether these robots are possible to make and if it is a good idea. The engineers face many challenges with the project. They need something that works quickly but is also very small.

"That's the challenge," said Hawks. "Make it small and make it powerful."