Nebraska Patent of the Month – January 2024
Virtual Incision Corp is focused on bringing miniature robotic surgery to the playing field so that more patients, surgeons, and healthcare facilities can have access to its benefits every day. The idea of miniature robots conducting surgeries aims to address the known limitations of existing surgical robots. These existing systems are large, expensive, and unavailable to most hospitals. They also suffer from limited sensory and mobility capabilities.
Virtual Incision’s recently patented technology is a surgical robot that overcomes these limitations with a smaller form factor and greater robotic dexterity. This invention redefines the landscape of medical robotics, offering a versatile and compact solution to the limitations posed by traditional systems.
At the core of this innovation is an elongate device body designed to navigate and operate within a patient’s body cavity through a minimal incision. The device body encompasses two pivotal components—a first motor and a second motor—each strategically placed to facilitate seamless movement and articulation. Additionally, a camera lumen is intricately defined within the device body, providing crucial visual feedback to surgeons during procedures.
The device’s prowess lies in its shoulder joints, equipped with the first and second motors, enabling sophisticated movements and manipulations. The first and second arms, intricately connected to the shoulder joints, exhibit a remarkable level of flexibility. These arms, when extended in a straight configuration, are positioned substantially within the longitudinal cross-section of the device body, optimizing spatial efficiency.
A distinctive feature is the collinearity of the upper arm and forearm segments when extended in a straight configuration, maximizing the device’s adaptability for diverse surgical scenarios. Each shoulder joint incorporates gears for enhanced stability, while each arm segment is equipped with dedicated motors and controllers, allowing for precise control and movement.
This robotic device addresses the limitations of traditional minimally invasive technologies and large robotic systems by providing a compact, highly maneuverable solution. Virtual Incision’s invention promises to elevate the standards of robotic surgical procedures, offering surgeons unprecedented control, mobility, and visual feedback for a new era of minimally invasive interventions. As the medical field evolves, this invention stands as a testament to the transformative power of innovation in advancing patient care and surgical capabilities.
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