Surgical Robot Launched to the International Space Station to Test Long-Range Remote Capabilities

Virtual Incision, developer of the MIRA Surgical System, announced that its spaceMIRA mini robotic-assisted surgical device is in transit to the International Space Station. The device is carried by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket onboard a Northrop Grumman Cygnus cargo spacecraft. 
 
spaceMIRA is the first surgical robot launched into space, it was sent to the International Space Station to test the long-range remote capabilities of the device. Testing will assess the impact of zero gravity when performing simulated surgical tasks. 
 
A surgeon operator in Lincoln, NE will operate the device using remote-controlled technology to detect the robot’s movements. 
 
Results of this experiment could impact healthcare around the world and in space as there is a shortage of local surgeons₁. With results from this experiment, remote surgery could serve as an option for those in need of procedures who also do not have access to a local surgeon. 
 
“When we started this work at the University of Nebraska, we shared a collective vision that miniRAS could make robotic-assisted surgery available to any patient, anytime, anywhere,” said Shane Farritor, co-founder and chief technology officer at Virtual Incision and professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Nebraska. “Exploring the use of miniRAS in extreme environments helps our teams understand how we can remove barriers for patients.”
 
Ideally spaceMIRA and miniRAS would be controlled through a console in which a surgeon could direct the movements of the camera and instruments inside the patients’ body. Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) has been available for decades, and typically this type of operation is still performed with the surgeon in the room₂. 
 
The miniaturization of RAS could be a breakthrough in simplifying workflows at the site where the patient is localized. 
 
MIRA is the first developed miniaturized robotic-assisted surgery device and is currently under review for FDA clearance for its first indication in bowel resection. It also recently completed an IDE clinical study. MIRA is designed for quick set up, clean up, and can be used as a standalone system or a complementary tool for facilities that already own a mainframe.
 
“As thrilling as it is to have our technology in space, we expect the impact of this research will be most notable on Earth,” said John Murphy, president and CEO of Virtual Incision. “The introduction of miniRAS has the potential to revolutionize healthcare by making every operating room robot ready. We are taking a significant step by developing MIRA, an investigational device currently under review by the FDA. The testing with spaceMIRA will tell us more about the future potential of miniRAS as it might be applied to remote surgery applications.”

Sources:
1 Belsky D, Ricketts T, Poley S, Gaul K, Fraher E, Sheldon G. Surgical deserts in the US: Places without surgeons. American College of Surgeons Health Policy Research Institute. Available at: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21449298/

2 Barba P, Stramiello J, Funk EK, Richter F, Yip MC, Orosco RK. Remote telesurgery in humans: a systematic review. Surg Endosc. 2022 May;36(5):2771-2777.