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Centre for robotic surgery announced for London

05/03/2008

A new research centre for robotic surgery will be established at Imperial College London, it has been announced today.

The Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery will aim to develop advanced robotic technologies to transform conventional keyhole surgery and new ways of empowering robots with human intelligence.

The centre will also create revolutionary miniature "microbots" that have integrated sensing and imaging for cancer surgery and treatment.

Funding of £10 million from the Helen Hamlyn Trust and Lady Hamlyn has made the establishment of the centre possible.

It will be co-directed by two UK pioneers in medical robotics, Professor Lord Ara Darzi and Professor Guang-Zhong Yang.

"Medical robotics and computer assisted surgery are used in a growing number of operating rooms around the world," said Lord Darzi.

"This funding will allow the team to leverage our existing research programmes in pursuing adventurous, fundamentally new technologies that will allow more widespread use of robotics in medicine and patient care."

Professor Guang-Zhong Yang, who will be directing the basic sciences and engineering research of the new Centre, added: "The need to perform delicate surgical procedures safely in tight spaces where the surgeon cannot see directly has created a growing demand for devices that act as extensions of the surgeon's eyes and hands.

"This creates a unique opportunity of developing new robotic devices that build on the latest developments in imaging, sensing, mechatronics and machine vision."