Page 142 - International Space Station Benefits for Humanity, 3rd edition.

IGAR removes most of the “manual” aspects of the
procedure and reduces user dependence and the
level of training required. This allows for a standard Tracking the eye’s position without
process regardless of experience. An expert will interfering with the surgeon’s work
program remotely once the patient is in the MRI
suite. A physician will then supervise to make sure the is essential in laser surgery.
patient is comfortable and that no complications occur.
Anvari said this technology lays the foundation for
a family of telerobotic systems, has the potential
to change the way people think about performing
these interventions, and ensures that specialized, is taking place. This involves the brain constantly
highly-trained doctors are focusing on the activities interpreting information from the inner ear to maintain
to which their training is best suited. Anvari believes balance and stable vision. An essential feature of this
this technology will improve efficiency in the health sensory system is the use of gravity as a reference.
care system by streamlining clinical workflow and The Eye Tracking Device experiment researched
allowing highly skilled radiologists to extend their mechanisms involved in this process and how
care to a wider population through teleoperation.
humans’ frames of reference are altered in space.
This robotic technology is not limited to biopsies. The experiment used a specially designed headset
Duchesne explained that IGAR is paving the way fitted with high-performance, image-processing chips
for the minimally invasive excision and treatment able to track the eyes without interfering with an
of small tumors that are often found incidentally astronaut’s normal work. The results showed that
during pre-op MRI. our balance and the overall control of eye movements
The trend toward breast preservation has brought on are indeed affected by weightlessness. These two
the importance of lumpectomies. For tumors that may systems work closely together under normal gravity
require this procedure because they are invisible to conditions but become somewhat dissociated in
ultrasound and X-ray mammography, researchers are weightlessness. After a flight, it takes several days
currently developing the ability for IGAR to deploy a to weeks for the astronauts to return to normal.
radioactive seed—smaller than a grain of rice—near The findings point to the entire sensory-motor
the area of interest. During surgery, the seed can be
located with a detector, allowing the doctor to identify
the lesion and remove it with increased accuracy and
patient comfort. It is expected that follow-up surgeries
also will be greatly reduced.
Whether it be capturing a visiting spacecraft or helping
save lives, Canadian-designed robots are lending a
hand. Bringing beneficial technologies from the space
station to the ground will hopefully one day allow
us to make historic strides in cancer treatment.
Watch this video to learn more about IGAR:
http://tinyurl.com/CSA-IGAR

Improved Eye Surgery with
Space Hardware
Laser surgery to correct eyesight is common practice,
and technology developed for use in space is now
commonly used on Earth to track the patient’s eye Former ESA astronaut Thomas Reiter
and precisely direct the laser scalpel. undertakes the Eye Tracking Device
experiment on the ISS in 2006.
When looking at a fixed point while tilting or shaking
one’s head, a reflex allows the eyes to automatically Image credit: ESA
hold steady and see clearly even while this movement

128