University of Washington's Raven to try surgery in simulated spacecraft
If you thought ASTRO and NextSat were the only two autonomous robots frolicking around in testing environments, Raven would certainly beg to differ, as NASA has recently announced that the University of Washington's mobile surgical robot will soon be off to tackle surgical tasks whilst underwater. The 12th NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations test will see the mechanical MD pick up the tools in a simulated spacecraft submerged near Key Largo, Florida, where the "mission will test current technology for sending remote-controlled surgical robotic systems into space." Thanks to a combination of wired and wireless networks, a trio of seasoned veterans back in Seattle will be dictating the movements remotely, as the bot attempts to "suture a piece of rubber and move blocks from one spindle to another." Interestingly, there was no word on whether Raven was scheduled to pick up the night shift at Seattle Grace upon its return from the depths.[Via MedLaunches]
Filed under: Robots
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
glucoseboy @ Apr 19th 2007 5:56PM
Uh, someone please explain why they have to submerge the simulated test-capsule? I mean, what's the point? it's not like the robot will be outside in the water simulating surgery in partial weightlessness? Why couldn't they just put the test capsule in some room somewhere next to an engineer's cube?
EDomain @ Apr 19th 2007 6:16PM
Good point, but it is best not to question the wisdom of this....
I, for one, welcome the arrival of our metal, submersible skin cutting waterproof overlords.
paul34 @ Apr 19th 2007 8:40PM
Computer, activate Emergency Medical... experimental surgical robot?
Shane @ Apr 19th 2007 9:48PM
...NEVERMORE...
Chuck Cooper @ Apr 19th 2007 10:00PM
NASA is not running this robot "wet" under water but rather in the Aquarius under sea research station operated by the University of North Carolina near Key largo: http://www.uncw.edu/aquarius/index.html. NASA uses this unique facility as a proving ground for space flight
technologies because it forces real constraints and is relatively cheap.
Check out the Aquarius webcam page here: http://www.uncw.edu/aquarius/thumb_cam.htm