A team of clinicians performed a remote endoscopy and gastric-wall biopsy on a live pig in Hong Kong while a specialist located in Zurich controlled the robotic system using a PlayStation controller, the researchers reported.
How the remote procedure was conducted
The endoscopic probe and robotic platform were physically located in Hong Kong. Data and control signals were transmitted in real time over a WebSocket protocol to a control center in Zurich, where the remote surgeon sent commands to the robotic agent.
During the demonstration the Zurich-based surgeon operated the endoscope using a PlayStation Move controller. The team also published other demonstrations showing the use of PlayStation 5 controllers with the system.
Study publication and supporting material
The research was published in Advanced Intelligent Systems, and the team released a video of the endoscopy alongside the paper. The video shows the remote navigation of the probe and the performance of a biopsy on the stomach wall.
Next steps: moving toward human trials
In a public statement, the research group expressed optimism about proceeding to human testing. Bradley Nelson, from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, said the next stage of the research will perform endoscopy in a human stomach.
Nelson added that beyond endoscopic procedures such as cancer screening, the technology could potentially be applied to other parts of the gastrointestinal tract, to the neurovascular system and to fetal surgery.
Key facts
- Procedure: Remote endoscopy with gastric-wall biopsy on a live pig.
- Distance between operator and procedure: 9,300 km (Zurich to Hong Kong).
- Control interface: PlayStation Move (and demonstrations with PlayStation 5 controllers).
- Communication method: WebSocket protocol for real-time data transfer.
- Published in: Advanced Intelligent Systems.
