Motion Control Developer's Kit Awarded to the University of Western Ontario For Use in Developing a New Control System for Surgical Robots

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After a thorough investigation of the existing technologies, we found that the Magellan series of motion control ICs from PMD best suited our application. The availability of the Magellan Developer's Kit meant faster development time and a high performance control system.

Lincoln, MA (PRWEB) May 11, 2007

Performance Motion Devices has selected The University of Western Ontario as the latest recipient of the iBot award. The objective of the winning project, Design of an Open Architecture Controller for the ZEUS Master-Slave Surgical Robotic System, is to develop a system that allows insertion of radioactive seeds into cancerous tumors in the lung by incorporating minimally invasive robotic technology, image guidance, and intra-operative navigation. The applicant will receive PMD's Developer's Kit for the Magellan MC58420.

Typically, open surgery requires relatively large invasive incisions to patients, which can contribute to complications, trauma, longer recovery times, lengthy hospitalization times, and higher costs. In a minimally invasive approach, long slender surgical tools (laparoscopic instruments) are used to perform surgery through smaller incisions in the patient's body, leading to shorter recovery times and less trauma. The research being conducted at Canadian Surgical Technologies and Advanced Robotics, which is affiliated with The University of Western Ontario and Lawson Health Research Institute, could provide an alternative for patients deemed unfit for surgery or other treatment regimens.

The Magellan DK58420 will be used to implement a new controller for the robotic system. This new system will allow better control over the movements of the robots, resulting in improved accuracy. The DK58420 was selected to provide high-speed servo loop rate, PID control loop, and analog/digital inputs and outputs on a single card.

Harman Bassan, Project Representative comments "After a thorough investigation of the existing technologies, we found that the Magellan series of motion control ICs from PMD best suited our application. The availability of the Magellan Developer's Kit meant faster development time and a high performance control system."

PMD's iBot, Motion Control for Higher Education program was launched in May 2006 to recognize innovative motion control applications, and support research and development in the academic field. Through iBot, PMD awards students, researchers, academic groups, and nonprofit organizations with motion control hardware specific to their application in an effort to facilitate a fuller understanding of motion and motor control.

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