New 'assistant' for medical robots

Engineers at the Johns Hopkins laboratory have developed a pneumatic stepper motor, which is used in medical robots to assist in biopsy of cancerous tumors and imaging by machine vision. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging).

Unused and made entirely of plastic, rubber and cramic, this engine - named PneuStep - is quite compatible with MRI machines because it is safe and quite accurate.

The PneuStep consists of three pistons linked to a gear system. The gears rotate by compressed air and are completely controlled by a computer placed on the outside of the MRI, which makes it move more steadily and accurately than human hands.

'PneuStep is quite safe and helps robots reach the target of tumors. This will increase accuracy in locating and collecting tissue samples, reducing errors in diagnosis and improving treatment, " said Johns Hopkins lab scientist.

(Photo: medgadget.com)

Currently, the biopsy of some parts of the human body is implicitly made because imaging devices can not clearly see the tumor.

Successful research into this engine opens the door to future prospects of performing surgery under visual guidance to better reach the target; Helping to diagnose and treat cancer more effectively today.

MINH ANH