Researchers are developing less expensive, portable, and versatile surgical robots that could become common in operating rooms. A goal is to incorporate tactile sensors into robots so surgeons can feel tissue and better diagnose medical conditions. “Robots don't perform the surgeries, but they give surgeons more dexterity,“ said William Peine, assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Purdue University. “Surgical robots let you get into confined spaces, eliminate hand tremor, and be very precise and delicate. It's as if the tips of the instruments become your fingertips.“

Current surgical assist robots are complex and often require a large operating room and extra setup time. New designs will be smaller, easier to use, and set up in less time.

Laparoscopic surgery is a great fit for these robots, says Peine. Today, surgeons use laparoscopic probes with a handle that remains outside the body, making it difficult to manipulate.

In robotic surgeries, on the other hand, the surgeon sits at a console and uses hand controls to direct robotic arms that move the probes, and a camera lets the surgeon see inside the body during the operation. The camera magnifies the view on a computer screen mounted on the console.

Todays' surgical robots use the same probes several times before they are replaced. Peine is collaborating with surgeons at the Indiana University (IU) School of Medicine to develop less expensive systems that might use disposable probes to reduce costs.

Chandru Sundaram, a surgeon and associate professor at IUs' Department of Urology, says the new robots will provide greater accuracy, miniaturization of instruments, and the ability to operate laparoscopically. Other goals include reconstructive procedures with better lighting and greater magnification.

The only surgical robot currently on the market costs about $1 million. New alternatives could cost about $250,000. These more sophisticated systems will be used for a variety of surgical procedures, such as tactile feedback and image-guided surgery where information is fed from CT scanners, ultrasounds, or magnetic resonance imaging to let the robot accurately go to a particular part of the body.