SPIDER surgical instrument looks like a proto-bush-robot

The TransEnterix SPIDER Surgical System is a laporoscopic surgical instrument that allows for easy tool-swapping without withdrawing the device from the patient. It also happens to look like a distant ancestor to Moravec's bush robot.

Flexible Laparoscopy With The Spider System Is Characterized By:
# Triangulation achieved via single site access
# True left and true right instrumentation
# Flexible, articulating instruments
# A single-operator platform
# An open platform with multiple working channels

TransEnterix SPIDER Surgical System Gets CE Mark

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Anonymous

As a surgeon in training with an overactive tech-robot gland this post really floated my boat. Thanks a lot Cory / Boing Boing. I posted a link to the article at my blog at thestudentdoctor . Com
Anonymous

Now I’m going to have nightmares about robot tentacles stealing my gall bladder.
holtt

Maybe they should name it INSECT or BUG instead of SPIDER – or add a few more legs to the logo.
Anonymous

Reminds me of Rockwell Automation

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N8ZjdNJ2Sc
Major Variola (ret)

Wasn’t that how the phage-robot was removed from Neo’s stomach in the back of that car?
snorpheus

I have always loved how clean and neat everything is when it’s done with animation. No complications and no mess! (I spent a number of years doing design and visualization at an endoscopic surgical instrument company)
Anonymous

reminds me of the bug in the Matrix
DoctressJulia

The first Christmas bush, like from Rocheworld…? Neeeeat! I am ready for my new vat-grown body, this one hurts…
bklynchris

Yes, but does it leave clean margins?
guplik

It’s not quite as bushy as the name and picture suggest, it’s only got two “hands” – the picture shows 6 different positions that those two arms can take, overlaid
Anonymous

Holy cow, this is really interesting. I’m a laparoscopic technician and have seen a few single-port surgeries but they still use conventional laparoscopic instruments albeit through a larger port. A normal cholecystectomy will make use of 3 5mm ports; 1 for laparoscope, 2 for instrumentation. This is neat, as single-port surgeries right now with the usual tools is still very tedious and bulky. – Gus H.
bat21

Of all the things in Ghost in the Shell to become real, I didn’t think the creepy cyborg secretary fingers would be one of them.
imajication

I think I found that video oddly fascinating, considering I’m not a doctor.
Ugly Canuck

I hope they name this robot “Boris”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8dSBWysmnM
Anonymous

When I see life-enhancing engineering wonders like this, I can’t help but think how much further along we’d be if the [insert your favourite billion dollar weapon of war] R&D had been directed for good.
social_maladroit

Ouch. Reminds me of an instrument used in a certain episode of Firefly.