Long-distance operators sign of the times

A successful prostate removal surgery on a patient in Beijing carried out by robotic arms remotely controlled by a doctor in Rome on June 7 is an example of the reach of technology in the medical sector.

Compared with on-site surgery, the success of the remotely controlled surgery by Zhang Xu from the PLA General Hospital hinged largely on the smooth transfer of data. The distance between Beijing and Rome is over 8,000 kilometers, while the bidirectional communication range for the doctor to receive immediate images from the patient and send orders back to the robotic arms is over 20,000 kms. It takes 66.67 milliseconds for signals to travel back and forth at the approximate speed of light.

A lot depends on the clarity of images transferred in this manner to the doctor 8,000 kms away. The images need to be of high resolution and yet small in size, so they are transmitted smoothly without delay.

The robotic arms must be able to faithfully execute what the doctor sitting 8,000 kms away instructs them to do. According to reports, in the aforementioned surgery, the robotic arms had seven dimensions of movement while the robotic waist could rotate 540 degrees, or do one full rotation and a half, to perform the movements Zhang ordered remotely.

The surgery's success can be attributed to technological advancement and coordination among the teams in Rome and Beijing. Modern medicine is clearly dependent on an amalgamation of life sciences, chemistry, telecommunications and organizational science.

But as the operation shows that would certainly not make the role of doctors any less significant. In fact, with the nation's progress in these sectors, Chinese doctors are expected to get more support. It is even possible, transcontinental surgeries might soon become the norm.