X-Message-Number: 4696
From:  (David Stodolsky)
Subject: Fwd: Surgery by Microbot
Date: Tue, 1 Aug 95 15:29:14 +0200 (CET DST)


Forward of article <> () by 
 (RISKS Forum):
------------------------------

Date: 14 Jul 95 10:45:37 EDT
From: "Mich Kabay [NCSA Sys_Op]" <>
Subject: Risks of Surgery by Microbot

>From the German Press Agency news wire via CompuServe's Executive News 
Service; translated by MK with the help of Power Translator Deluxe 1.0 from
Globalink Inc:

Mini - Robots should make possible long-distance operations 

Karlsruhe (German Press Agency) - scientists from Karlsruhe have developed a
Mini-robot which will enable remote surgery. The prototype has been built by
the university and the research center at Karlsruhe. These so-called
"Mikromanipulationsroboter" are about ten centimeters long and eight
centimeters broad and high.
  
The robot would be inserted in the field of operations and would allow
specialists from anywhere in the world to participate. The 
computer-controlled instrument can make controlled movements with a 
precision of a few microns.

It may lead to the construction of extremely small robots that could swim
through the veins of a person and, for example, remove plaque in
atherosclerotic arteries.

[Comments from MK:

Unless due attention is paid to protecting the data stream controlling these
devices, there will be direct human tragedy as a result of data errors,
radio-frequency interference, and from meddling by criminal hackers.

Can someone in the Karlsruhe area investigate the security measures being
put in place to protect surgical microbots from such interference?]

M.E.Kabay,Ph.D. / Dir. Education, Natl Computer Security Assn (Carlisle, PA)

-----------------------------

David S. Stodolsky      Euromath Center     University of Copenhagen
   Tel.: +45 38 33 03 30   Fax: +45 38 33 88 80 (C)


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