http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/ Engadget Comments for http://www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2008 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 19th 2006 10:26AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 19th 2006 10:41AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/
There were probably always a couple of heart surgeons in the room, so they were probably safe anyway.]]>May 19th 2006 10:50AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 19th 2006 11:12AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/
There, Doctor, I said it. Could you put the scalpel down now, please?]]>May 19th 2006 11:28AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 19th 2006 11:42AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 19th 2006 11:44AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/Finally another job sector that can be completely outsourced to India!
]]>May 19th 2006 12:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 19th 2006 1:27PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 19th 2006 1:59PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 19th 2006 2:05PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/Would I know? Could I sue? Would I care?

The mind boggles.]]>May 19th 2006 2:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 19th 2006 3:07PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 19th 2006 3:34PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/
http://www.starwars.com/databank/droid/21b/index.html
]]>May 19th 2006 4:39PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 19th 2006 7:31PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/
Entertaining robots: Good.

Surgeron Robots: Bad... VERY bad.]]>May 19th 2006 8:22PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 20th 2006 2:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 20th 2006 4:51AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/Until someone dies, then the stock will fall big time.]]>Sep 25th 2006 7:01AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 20th 2006 9:15AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/May 20th 2006 2:15PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/It may not ease anyone's qualms, but in a number of research projects I read about, neural nets are amazing at detecting and classifying all sorts of cellular problems.

While it's poking away in there at break-neck speed, it can sample cells to quickly identify any abnormal growth. Having a surgeon remove cells very slowly wouldn't allow a major review of what's going on around the problems at hand.]]>May 20th 2006 3:01PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/
Yeh, about a million doctors about to lose their jobs to Number 5, Hal, Thundercleese and Bender!

Stop this nonsence I say!]]>May 24th 2006 4:02AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/Jun 10th 2006 6:32PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/
They also said this robot had helped in other surgeries before. That means that it WOULD be able to stop the unexpected. All you'd need to do it make a robot learn enough and experience enough, then copy all of it into other robots.

I suppose you could also set up a network, where they share each other's surgeries. Before too long, these robots would all know much more then any human.

It's not like they would ever lose something inside the patient:

http://www.engadget.com/2006/07/19/rfid-to-prevent-loss-of-surgical-sponges-inside-patients/

I think this is a great oppourtunity for humanity. ]]>Jul 19th 2006 4:19PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/
The human brain can hold more information than all the libraries in the world. Not to mention, have you ever had an "Unexpected Error occured, quitting" message? I know that's not going to happen to the robot (hopefully?) but that shows the extent of a machine's ability to deal with the expected.

"Error 37118: unexpected bleeding occured, stitching patient up"

All I'm saying is, there won't be surgeons leaving this thing on its own for a while, and there wont ever be one of those poking at MY insides. Good old fashioned surgeons for me, with a Junior Mint for good measure (Sienfeld).

But hey, if it saves one life, it's worth it.]]>Nov 3rd 2007 11:32AMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/Nov 6th 2007 11:00PMhttp://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/http://www.engadget.com/2006/05/19/robot-surgeon-performs-worlds-first-unassisted-operation/
Robots will only do what is inputted to them. So when a complication is not in their programming, they don't know what to do. A network of procedures might help but it's still in the surgeon's discretion and experience whether or not it'll work for her case.

You don't become a surgeon because your hands are precise; you become a surgeon because your mind can devise. And your brain can decide what will help save a life.]]>Aug 12th 2008 1:07AM