Press release about telesurgery from Titan back in 2009...
Titan Medical Inc. (TSX VENTURE:TMD) and Bell Canada (TSX:BCE) announced today that they have successfully completed telesurgery tests using Titan Medical?s Phase B Amadeus®, a next generation robotic surgical system. During a one-week testing period, the tests were done over an unprecedented long distance spanning roundtrip from Toronto to Vancouver, Canada. The total communications distance was approximately 7,000 km.
TORONTO, ONTARIO (Marketwire ? March 17, 2009) ? Titan Medical Inc. (TSX
VENTURE:TMD) and Bell Canada (TSX:BCE) announced today that they have
successfully completed telesurgery tests using Titan Medical?s Phase B Amadeus®,
a next generation robotic surgical system. During a one-week testing period, the
tests were done over an unprecedented long distance spanning roundtrip from
Toronto to Vancouver, Canada. The total communications distance was
approximately 7,000 km.
Telesurgery is the performance of robotic surgery over a distance using a
communication link. Transmitting low latency dual high definition signals for
three dimensional vision and instrument commands with minimal time lag (or
latency) were critical. Total end-to-end latency was approximately 300 ms, and
will be expected to shorten when the Phase C clinical testing platform is completed.
Dr. Reiza Rayman, President of Titan Medical Inc., commented as follows:
?The concept of long distance remote control can bear many benefits. An increase
in the surgeons? range of ?ability to operate? will bring their expertise to a
greater number of patients. Expert collaborations and procedural training will
be simpler, quicker, and more effective. Patient transportation costs will
decrease. Under-serviced communities can be supported by established hospitals.
Surgeons will be removed from harm of a battlefield in military applications.?
The extreme distances in these tests were implemented to generate worst-case
scenario data. ?In day-to-day applications, we expect the distances to be much
shorter. These will likely be between neighbouring cities, a tertiary hospital
catchment area or proximate offshore locations,? commented Dr. Rayman.
Previous research has shown that 350 ms or less latency is required for surgeons
to effectively perform telesurgery. Additionally, the amount of bandwidth needed
to transmit the high definition video is being analyzed. Specific data on
latency and bandwidth results of these tests will be published shortly in a full
White Paper.
Stéphane Boisvert, President of Bell Canada?s Enterprise Group, said the tests
are an important next step in the evolution of telesurgery that Bell has
supported for several years. ?We have proven in the past that the quality of the
Bell network can support telesurgery over shorter distances, such as from
Hamilton to Sudbury. But thanks to these tests we are now seeing the very real
potential of telesurgery over much greater distances. That means significant
benefits for more patients, for caregivers and for the economics of our health
care system as a whole, all of which are critically important to the quality of
life Canadians enjoy.?
About Telesurgery: Telesurgery is when a surgeon in one location ? using remote
controlled robotics and state-of-the-art communications networks ? performs
surgery on a patient from a different location. Telesurgery is a combination of
advanced elements of robotics, communication technologies and management
information systems. Currently in the field of robotic surgery, most robots are
controlled by surgeons at the location of the surgery.
Telesurgery, on the other hand, offers the promise for patients to have access
to surgeons from around the world, without the need for patients to travel
beyond their local hospital for surgery.
About Bell Canada
Bell is Canada's largest communications company, providing consumers with
solutions to all their communications needs, including telephone services,
wireless communications, high-speed Internet, digital television and voice over
IP. Bell also offers integrated information and communications technology (ICT)
services to businesses and governments, and is the Virtual Chief Information
Officer (VCIO) to small and medium businesses (SMBs). Bell is proud to be a
Premier National Partner and the exclusive Telecommunications Partner to the
Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Bell is wholly owned by BCE
Inc. For information on Bell's products and services, please visit www.bell.ca.
For corporate information on BCE, please visit www.bce.ca.
About Titan Medical Inc.
Titan Medical Inc. is a Canadian public company (TSX VENTURE:TMD) focused on the
development and commercialization of robotic surgical technologies. The Company
is currently developing Amadeus®, a next generation 4-armed robotic surgical
system, with the objective of enabling surgeons to remotely manipulate surgical
instruments. Robotic surgery has developed over the past 10 years into a proven
and growing method of treatment. The global robotic surgical market size is
currently estimated to be $3.4 billion with potential for placement of 6,000
robotic surgical systems. The Company is researching and developing innovative
technologies to empower surgeons to use robots in the operating room of the
future. For more information, visit the Company?s website at
www.titanmedicalinc.com.
The TSX Venture Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or
accuracy of this release.
