Surgeons use PlayStation controllers to perform endoscopy on pig nearly 6,000 miles away

[Innovabble]

Image: Chinese University of Hong Kong

 

In an innovative leap bridging gaming and healthcare, surgeons in Switzerland successfully performed a remote endoscopic surgery on a pig nearly 9,300 kilometers (5,800 miles) away in Hong Kong. The most surprising part? They used PlayStation controllers to steer the magnetic endoscope, highlighting a potential revolution in remote medical procedures.

 

The experiment, a collaboration between The Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Faculty of Medicine (CUHK) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich), involved a cutting-edge robotic system and a magnetic endoscope, linked via a real-time WebSocket protocol for seamless data transfer. From a control console in Zurich, the surgeon guided the endoscope through a live video feed using the PlayStation 3 Move controller and the PlayStation 5’s DualSense controller, known for its haptic feedback. The magnetic endoscope’s ability to navigate with precision, manipulating an external magnetic field, allowed it to perform complex maneuvers such as U-turns and biopsies.

 

 

While remote surgeries on humans may still be a distant future, this procedure holds the potential to revolutionize global healthcare. In regions with limited access to trained medical staff, patients could receive specialized care without the need to travel. This breakthrough could significantly enhance access to life-saving treatments worldwide and even pave the way for remote medical care in space.

 

This groundbreaking experiment marks a milestone in medical technology, demonstrating how tools from the gaming industry can be creatively repurposed to tackle complex challenges and drive advancements in healthcare.

 

As technology evolves, more surprising innovations will likely emerge, blending everyday tools with real-world problem-solving. Who knows? The next major discovery might already be right in front of us, waiting to reveal its hidden potential.

 

• https://www.med.cuhk.edu.hk/press-releases/cuhk-and-eth-zurich-successfully-conduct-world-s-first-in-vivo-teleoperated-magnetic-endoscopy-using-an-animal-model-over-a-distance-of-9-300-km-between-zurich-and-hong-kong
• https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2024/08/press-release-operating-from-9300-km-away.html
• https://www.foxnews.com/tech/surgeons-use-playstation-controller-long-distance-endoscopy
• https://newatlas.com/medical/remote-surgery-9000-km-game-controller/