A sensitive drill for cochlear implants. Image: Empa
A sensitive drill for cochlear implants. Image: Empa - Hearing-impaired people whose auditory nerve is still intact can often be helped with a cochlear implant. But inserting the implant into the inner ear is not without risks, as facial nerves can be damaged in the process. researchers have developed a novel smart drill that minimizes the risk by automatically shutting off when it comes near nerves. Methods of Advanced Manufacturing can lead to remarkable advances in surgery. A group of researchers led by Stefan Weber of the University of Bern's ARTORG Center for Biomedical Engineering Research has developed a robot that can insert cochlear implants more gently than a surgeon. "When a surgeon performs the procedure, he has to remove relatively large areas of the skull bone," Weber explained in an article in the NZZ.
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