Grant: Project Grant

In neurosurgery, excessive force can result in irreversible damage, making the current subjective approach to teaching and gauging surgical performance challenging. Using advanced sensor technology, we have sensorized a common surgical tool called bipolar forceps, and have named it SmartForceps. We have used this tool to measure forces of dissection during brain surgery. Evaluation and data analysis produced, i. a catalogue of surgical forces used by surgeons, and ii. the ability to group surgeons by their experience and skill level. Taking this discovery to worldwide application, we now propose to advance the SmartForceps to SmartForceps System by adding an Intelligent Module, a clever interface that utilizes machine learning and artificial intelligence similar to those used by Google for face recognition, driverless cars etc. To realize this goal, while protecting this Canadian idea, we have forged partnerships with i. Bissinger Germany, a manufacturer of commercial bipolar forceps, and ii. TROUT Germany, a company specialized in information technology with expertise in aerospace and automotive industries. To accelerate the commercialization process, we have created an Alberta-based company called OrbSurgical Ltd. that will manufacture, distribute and service the SmartForceps System so created. The present proposal will develop the Intelligent Module, that will receive force data and based on machine learning, will recognize and automatically compute results to generate real-time feedback during surgery. This involves: i.Developing commercial grade SmartForceps and their calibration, ii.Obtain clinical data to feed the Intelligent Module that through data input, learns, stores, analyzes, retrieves and provides real-time performance feedback together with a force error warning system, iii.Validate the system and evaluate its impact on surgical performance, iv.Pass regulatory standards for global uptake.