Product: A Robotic System to Assist in Minimally Invasive Surgery Developers: Dr. Nir Shvalb and Dvir Cohen Company: Memic Innovative Surgery Ltd. Start of Development: 2013
Advanced technology strives to make our lives easier and to improve our quality of life. Accordingly, there is an increasing prevalence of robot-assisted medical procedures. Memic Ltd. developed innovative surgery – a miniature, smart robotic arm – for facilitating surgical procedures that would otherwise be considered unfeasible. The robotic device, developed in collaboration with Dr. Nir Shvalb of Ariel University, features a humanoid articular structure that includes an elbow, a shoulder and a wrist. The structure enables advanced maneuvering capabilities for a minimally invasive approach. This provides surgeons the sensation of operating inside the abdominal cavity for simpler, safer surgery.
Following comprehensive market research conducted by CEO Dvir Cohen and Incentive, a technological incubator backed by the Israel Innovation Authority, it was decided to adapt the invention to the field of gynecology. Gynecology has a clear preference for performing surgery vaginally rather than surgery that requires abdominal incisions. This type of procedure minimizes trauma and accelerates healing, but is not always feasible due to technological limitations in maneuvering the current device within the abdominal cavity.
Memic has faced many technological challenges in the processing of developing the robotic device that aids in performing delicate medical procedures. These included: building robotic arms that are both flexible enough to allow access to anatomical structures which would be otherwise inaccessible, while being rigid enough to perform precise tissue manipulation that emulates the surgeon’s hand motions; the development of a small, portable robotic device, unlike massive systems that require a dedicated operating room; the development of an advanced concept offering the doctor intuitive control and a variety of working angles, and others.
The robotic device that was built has a humanoid structure providing surgeons optimal control and unique manipulation capabilities, allowing them to safely reach the required anatomical positions without the need for abdominal incision.
Memic provides a solution for the gynecological market, while facilitating additional advanced surgical procedures performed in the abdominal cavity.
