THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ROBOTICS AND COMPUTER ASSISTED SURGERYInt J Med Robotics Comput Assist Surg 2007; 3: 1–2. Invited CommentaryPublished online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI: 10.1002/rcs.130

Network on advanced micro-technologies formicrosurgery

Peter N. Brett*

Aston University School ofEngineering and Applied ScienceBirmingham, B7 4ET UK

*Correspondence to: Peter N. Brett,Aston University School ofEngineering and Applied ScienceBirmingham, B7 4ET UK.E-mail: P.N.Brett@aston.ac.uk

For surgical instruments and devices, there are recognised opportunitiesin the application of new surface and materials offered by nano-technologies, and new sensors and actuators offered by micro-fabricationprocesses. The deployment of micro-devices as tool points will alsorequire larger scale devices comparable in size to tools for microsurgery.The construction of these will rely on specialised micro-machiningand rapid prototyping processes with new schemes for sensing andactuation. To explore this area a Network has been founded whichis initially UK based but plans to expand internationally as interestdevelops.

The Network on Advanced Micro-technologies in Surgery is funded by theEngineering and Physical Sciences Research Council of the United Kingdom.The focus is on microsurgical tasks that are considered intensely interactiveprocesses within surgery, both between surgeon and between surgical toolsand surgical tool points and tissues. The Network is to define where theapplication of the benefits of state-of-the-art micro-technologies can lead tonew therapies, wider access, and greater precision and consistency in surgicalpractice. In addition the Network will explore the requirements for newtechnologies to address current and future needs for tools and diagnosticdevices in surgery. The steering panel of the Network comprises a multi-disciplinary team of surgeons, physicists and engineers and is planning aseries of national and international meetings for wider participation. Themeetings will combine both the styles of conference and workshop includingprominent papers and constructive discussion on a theme to explore thefield.

Microsurgery is one aspect of surgery that will benefit. This process ofsurgery often describes the precise control of the interaction between toolsand tissues at the limit of dexterity and perception of the surgeon. The mostrecent event of the Network was the international conference on micro-technologies for microsurgery. This was led by members of the steeringpanel at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers in London in November2006. The speakers at the event were from Europe and USA. The meetingprovided a venue for exploration and discussion on new sensing and actuationsystems for robotic technologies applied in precision microsurgical processesand widened access to the research studies of the Network. The papersand discussion illustrated some of the latest advances in this growingtechnology. The first sessions reviewed the technologies behind the latestsurgical robotic systems for microsurgery and identified principal challengesfacing surgeons across clinical disciplines. Following a series of interestingpapers on new technologies for sensing, actuation, user interfaces and theperformance of the user, the event explored the extent to which suchtechnology could be applied to other therapies such as in cell processing.The event concluded with an extensive and enlightening discussion on thepotential opportunities relating to the research results presented duringthe day.

Copyright 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

2 P. N. Brett

Future events in 2007 will address wider surgicalneeds and how advanced micro-manufacturing processescan assist the field. During 2008 the plan will be toplace the results in the perspective of the future ofhealthcare.

For further details and calendar of events: Webhttp://www.esm.aston.ac.uk/research/epsrc-network/

Steering Panel of the NetworkProf P.N. Brett (Chair) Aston UniversityProf B.L. Davies Acrobot LtdDr R. Keatch University of DundeeProf E. Huq Rutherford LabsMr D. Proops Queen Elizabeth Hospital, BirminghamProf R. Steele Nine Wells Hospital, DundeeProf M.V. Griffiths St Michael’s Hospital, BristolMr C. Coulson Stoke HospitalProf A. McCaskie Freeman Hospital, NewcastleDr F. Rodriguez y Baena Imperial CollegeDr X. Ma Aston UniversityDr D.J. Holding Aston University

Copyright 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Int J Med Robotics Comput Assist Surg 2007; 3: 1–2.DOI: 10.1002/rcs