Million Dollar NSF Grant Helps University of Tennessee research team Develop 'Smart' Surgical Camera

Dr. Gregory Mancini was sitting in his office at the University of Tennessee Medical Center 10 years ago when he heard a knock on the door. Jindong Tan, a professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, was wondering if Mancini could help him with a project.

Tan was trying to develop a fully insertable wireless robotic imaging device to be used during minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery. Mancini, a general surgeon trained in minimally invasive and robotic surgery, was intrigued.

"From that point on, we've had an open and collaborative relationship," Mancini said. "We are trying to find gaps in the marketplace and seeing how we can improve upon either laparoscopic surgery or robotic surgery so that it's cheaper, safer, or faster than what is currently out there."

Over the last decade, Tan and his team have worked on novel techniques for implantable cameras that will improve patient outcomes. They have used evolving technology to enhance the design and function of the imaging device, leading to a recent $1-million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to build AI into the camera.

Like a smart camera for surgery, the device integrates new software and AI technologies to try and get better optics in a small area that has very limited light. The device can be inserted through the same incision used for surgery, meaning no additional incisions are needed, and is free of tethering wires, which can cause interference and reduce camera mobility.

The camera is operated from outside by a robot, providing different view angles and feedback to surgeons during the procedure.

"We are talking about less incisions, faster recovery time, less blood loss and things like that," Tan said. "Hopefully, it's a camera that provides a super vision for surgeons to achieve the best surgical outcome possible. Because during surgery, if you use the regular laparoscope, it could get blurry and folded up and you need to take it out, which delays the surgery."

Expanding surgical views

The device has been primarily designed for the abdominal wall or chest area, but Tan's team hopes to expand the scope to areas of the body with tighter spaces such as the nose, small joints, or potentially the brain.

"The imaging technologies are really allowing us to be more precise, and if we're more precise, then the patient has a better outcome. It's going to allow surgeons to do more complicated things in a safer way," Mancini said. "There are these very complicated things that we have had barriers to doing, and this is going to enhance our ability to do harder, more complicated surgeries with the same, high-quality results."

Through advanced technology, the imaging device can be utilized in a more holistic way during surgery.

"You need a vision for different parts of the surgery," Tan said. "Sometimes you need a global view, sometimes you need dedicated vision, and sometimes you need a vision from a certain side, certain perspective, or certain angle. The camera we are developing will embody that intelligence and those plans."

Mancini and Dr. Jonathan DeLong, a surgical oncologist at UTMD, have been providing feedback to Tan's group from a surgeon's perspective. They have enlightened the group on factors during surgery, such as humidity, light, and temperature, that may impact the design.

"We'd sit down for a session, and I would say, 'here are four or five problems,' and I would feel a little bad about maybe criticizing the work that they did. And the response from him and his team were like, 'that's fantastic!'" Mancini said. "The way that engineers see the world is so different. They like having more problems to go solve. That relationship has grown over time and been really productive."

Vision for the future

As Tan and his group test their results and incorporate new technology, they've been able to explore more innovative features for the device.

"Our next step will be to put in the information in pre-operatively from prior surgeries, so that you can use both the live image and the preoperative image together," Tan said. "We are working on a proposal for that right now."

The end goal for the team is to build a functional imaging device that can be purchased and developed by companies for widespread use in surgery.

"NSF grants are grants that are really trying to solve problems. They usually not as close to being in place right way. But the way that the AI technology is moving along, this is something we think is going to have much more real application by the end of this project," Mancini said. "That's one of the cool pieces about this one. It's a little less sci-fi and much more about making sci-fi more reality in the way that is in integrated in the imaging system."

Provided by University of Tennessee at Knoxville