Chinese Scientists Develop Medical Robots to Avoid Surgery Obstacles

Surgical team is seen during a by-pass implantation operation using the Da Vinci robot at the MSWiA (Ministry of Interior and Administration) hospital in Warsaw Poland, March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
Surgical team is seen during a by-pass implantation operation using the Da Vinci robot at the MSWiA (Ministry of Interior and Administration) hospital in Warsaw Poland, March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
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Chinese Scientists Develop Medical Robots to Avoid Surgery Obstacles

Surgical team is seen during a by-pass implantation operation using the Da Vinci robot at the MSWiA (Ministry of Interior and Administration) hospital in Warsaw Poland, March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel
Surgical team is seen during a by-pass implantation operation using the Da Vinci robot at the MSWiA (Ministry of Interior and Administration) hospital in Warsaw Poland, March 16, 2021. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel

Chinese scientists have made progress in their research on the active obstacle avoidance of continuum robots, a development that has the potential to elevate the intelligence of robot-assisted surgeries.

The research was conducted by a team led by Liu Hao, a researcher at the Shenyang Institute of Automation under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in collaboration with Zhang Zhongtao's team at the Beijing Friendship Hospital, which is affiliated with the Capital Medical University. The findings have been published online in the International Journal of Robotics Research.

When operating in complex environments in the cavities of the human body, continuum robots can effectively avoid collisions with human tissue or between multiple robots, which is conducive to ensuring the safety and quality of a surgery.

However, due to the flexible structure of continuum robots and the irregularity of these environments, expressing this spatial and morphological relationship and achieving active, safe interaction pose challenges to enhancing the robots' capabilities in active obstacle avoidance, according to a report by the Chinese news agency, Xinhua.

To address the issue, the researchers proposed a framework for the control of active obstacle avoidance, including a concise expression of the geometric model of continuum robots and a method to detect collision between a robot and an obstacle of any shape.

The framework is an effective and feasible approach for continuum robots to conduct safe surgeries, and has the potential to promote the level of intelligence in robot-assisted surgeries, according to the researchers.



Passenger Forced to Run Along London Platform with Hand Trapped in Doors of Moving Train

A train on the Elizabeth line, which opened in May 2022. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA
A train on the Elizabeth line, which opened in May 2022. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA
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Passenger Forced to Run Along London Platform with Hand Trapped in Doors of Moving Train

A train on the Elizabeth line, which opened in May 2022. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA
A train on the Elizabeth line, which opened in May 2022. Photograph: Philip Toscano/PA

An investigation has been launched after a rail passenger was forced to run several metres along the platform with his hand trapped inside the doors of a moving train in west London.

The passenger, who was trying to board an Elizabeth line service just after midnight, had his hand caught in the door as it began to depart, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) said on 24 December, The Guardian reported.

He was then forced to run alongside the moving train for several metres until a member of railway staff who was working on the platform at Ealing Broadway station pulled him away.

Nearby passengers alerted the driver and the train stopped after moving about 17 metres. The passenger is reported to have sustained minor injuries, the RAIB confirmed.

The “trap and drag” incident, which took place on 24 November at about 12.07am, is the latest case of a rail passenger having to run alongside trains with their hand or arm trapped in doors at stations. Previous incidents took place at Enfield Town, north London, in July; Seven Sisters, north London, in June 2022; Bushey, Hertfordshire, in March 2018; and Newcastle Central in 2013.

The RAIB investigation will consider factors such as if anything influenced the actions of those involved, and how risks associated with passengers boarding and alighting Elizabeth line trains are managed. It will publish its findings, including any recommendations to improve safety.

Elizabeth line services are operated by MTR Elizabeth line under a concession from Transport for London.

A TfL spokesperson said: “We’re sorry that our customer experienced this distressing incident. Safety is our top priority and our operator, MTR Elizabeth line, is currently carrying out a thorough investigation.

“We will always strive to learn from incidents and improve operational safety. MTR Elizabeth line is fully co-operating with the RAIB to establish the root cause of this incident to determine what steps they can take to avoid any further events of this nature and to share learnings with the industry.

“While serious injuries on our network are rare, we are undertaking a huge range of work aimed at eradicating such incidents and making travelling even safer for everyone.”