Ep13 - Take a holistic, systems approach to designing surgical robots - Key Tech POV

MedTech Speed to Data

Get feedback early to fast-track your robotics design.

Start-ups that inherit robotic prototypes from universities or research labs often get caught up trying to get a product out the door. Instead, they should focus on designing a product that will be competitive in the market. Following a chat with Dave Saunders, CTO at Galen Robotic, Andy Rogers sat down with Key Tech Sr. Mechanical Engineer, Danica Mackesey, to discuss the challenges and pitfalls of designing medical robotics.

Need to know:

• Get frequent feedback from end-users. If they don’t have complaints, get nervous.
• View the system as a whole. It’s all too easy to get lost in the weeds.
• Make sure that your designs are manufacturable. This may seem obvious, but it’s as big as the difference between theory and practice.

The nitty-gritty:

The first step in designing for quality is to determine the requirements of the robotics system, including the when, where, and how the system will be used and what features are needed. Once the features have been determined, it’s time to consider how well they work for the end-user. This is the audience participation segment of product development, where user input can save you lots of time and trouble.

In robotic surgery, surgeons need to feel comfortable and confident with the device. For example, consider the ergonomics of handles and the effects of repetitive motions. Monitors should be easy to view. Of course, a high-voltage robotic system must be safe (Your mantra is, “IEC 60601, IEC 60601, IEC 60601…”), and it also must fit into the environment of the operating room without danger of tipping over or dangling cables, and out of the way of surgical drapes. The earlier you tackle these issues, the better.

Temper your forward-thinking design with some down-to-earth risk management. For instance, what happens if the robot stops working in the middle of a procedure? That kind of thinking leads you to designing-in overrides and safety systems.

Finally, the answers to many of your design questions (and challenges) are often as near as the phone or email. Ask your end-users. Ask your component manufacturers – they have almost as much riding on your success as you do, and they can provide valuable advice.

Give it a listen!