Machines Like Us

Engineers at the Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins University Urology Robotics Lab report the invention of a motor without metal or electricity that can safely power remote-controlled, robotic medical devices used for cancer biopsies and MR-guided therapies.

"Lots of biopsies on organs, such as the prostate, are currently performed blind because the tumors are typically invisible to the imaging tools commonly used," says Dan Stoianovici, PhD, an associate professor of urology at Johns Hopkins and director of the robotics lab. "Our new MRI-safe motor and robot can target the tumors. This should increase accuracy in locating and collecting tissue samples, reduce diagnostic errors and also improve therapy."

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