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Combining magnetic field immunity with high precision motion over inches of travel, piezo “leg” motors walk the line.

Piezo Motors Power MRI Robot


By News on the Net ——--September 18, 2014

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Surgeons treating brain cancer face a conundrum: They can capture ultra-high-resolution images of the tumor using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or they can use ultra-precise surgical tools to remove the tumor, but they can't do both at the same time. At least they couldn't previously. Today, Worcester Polytechnic Institute professor Greg Fischer, is busy developing a surgical robot designed for use inside an MRI machine (see figure 1). Guided by real-time feedback, the robot can position a high-energy, interstitial focused ultrasound probe exactly at the tumor, delivering optimal surgical results and an ideal outcome for the patient. Of course, building a robot that can operate within the high magnetic fields generated by an MRI unit was not easy, but with sophisticated controls engineering and piezoelectric positioners from MICROMO, the WPI team has built a system that promises to revolutionize the treatment possibilities of MRI. More...

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