Researchers add eye control to Da Vinci robosurgeon
Eye-controlled interfaces are far from revolutionary, but giving one of the world's most famous robotic surgeons the ability to interpret eye movements is most definitely a huge leap forward in the pursuit of making operations less invasive. Reportedly, British researchers have implemented new software into the Da Vinci robosurgeon in order to enable human surgeons to "sit at a viewing console directing the movement of the robot's mechanical arms inside the patient's body." Additionally, the program can track eye movements and "build up a 3D map of the area of tissue the surgeon is looking at," and it seems as if the developments could eventually be used on a variety of other ER-based robots. Just make sure your doctor chugs a couple of Red Bulls before putting you under -- wouldn't want those eyes wandering aimlessly, now would we? (Psst, "no-go zones" are included, thankfully.)
[Via Slashdot]
