Surgeons use PlayStation controller for long-distance endoscopy
Fox News
Surgeons performed endoscopy on a pig 5,780 miles away using a video game controller. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson has the details on this groundbreaking experiment.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.
The procedure utilized a robotic system and a magnetic endoscope, connected via a direct WebSocket protocol for real-time data transfer. The Swiss surgeon operated from a control console in Zurich, viewing the procedure through a live video feed and steering the endoscope using a PlayStation 3 Move controller. Other demonstrations seem to have scientists using a PlayStation 5 controller, which would be much easier to come by these days.
This technology allows for precise navigation within the body, as the magnetic endoscope can be steered by controlling an external magnetic field, enabling complex maneuvers such as bending into a U-turn and performing biopsies.