X-Message-Number: 28994
From: "Jordan Sparks" <>
References: <>
Subject: RE: 250 Micron Robot for Microsurgery
Date: Sat, 20 Jan 2007 07:48:19 -0800

I'm not at all impressed.  Sounds like nothing but an artificial embolus to
me.  How on earth are they going to steer the stupid thing and keep it from
lodging in a capillary somewhere?  A tethered robot is a much more obvious
and rational solution.  Keep all the processing power external to the
patient and fly by wire.  Robots will be heavily used in digestive
surgeries, though, because they can be huge, and if the robot fails it will
just pass on through without damage.  After robots have been routinely used
in that manner for a few decades, you might see them start to be used in
arteries, but it still seems very risky.  The scientist is a mechanical
engineer who I don't think has really thought it through.  And can someone
explain to me how he could possible get any kind of image when the lense is
covered with blood?

Jordan Sparks,
eternal skeptic

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