MIRA, short for “miniaturised in vivo robotic assistance,” will be sent to the International Space Station in 2024 to be tested. Designed to function independently, the robot can also be controlled remotely. The robot is a is a small surgical expert that can fit within an experimental locker the size of a microwave.
Scientists from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln said on Tuesday that their tiny surgical robot will be sent to the International Space Station for testing in zero gravity.
MIRA is a joint venture between the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Virtual Incision, a medical technology startup that operates on the university’s Nebraska Innovation Campus, reported tech website Gizmodo.
One day, as humans travel into space and ultimately plan to colonise it, surgery may be required. In a statement, Virtual Incision co-founder Shane Farritor stated, “We are working toward that goal.”
“The Virtual Incision MIRA platform was designed to deliver the power of a mainframe robotic-assisted surgery device in a miniaturized size, with the goal of making (robotic-assisted surgery) accessible in any operating room on the planet,” said John Murphy, CEO of Virtual Incision, in a company press release. “Working with NASA aboard the space station will test how MIRA can make surgery accessible in even the most faraway places.”
Digital media platform Mashable reported that a variety of tests will be performed on MIRA, such as cutting elastic bands and advancing tiny rings along a wire. These movements mimic the intricate movements used frequently in surgery.
The tiny robot may one day perform surgeries on people living in remote and far-flung areas. NASA recently granted the University of Nebraska–Lincoln $100,000. The grant has been given to ready the robot for a space voyage in 2024.
A press statement on the Robotic Surgeon claimed that MIRA has aided in significant operations. When performing minimally invasive colon resections, which include removing all or part of a patient’s colon, doctors have had success using the equipment.
