Researchers from École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), otherwise known as the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, have developed a four-armed robotic surgical system.

The EPFL team claims that their four-armed robotic surgical system, which is designed to perform laparoscopic surgeries — surgeries that are performed in the abdomen or pelvis using small incisions with the aid of a camera — is the first of its kind.

Source: EPFL

According to the EPFL team, the system features two additional robotic arms that are controlled via haptic foot pedal interfaces with 5 degrees of freedom.

While each existing robotic arm controls the manipulative instruments associated with laparoscopic surgery, the additional set of secondary robotic arms hold an endoscopic camera and an actuated gripper, explained the EPFL researchers.

“Actuators in the foot pedals give haptic feedback to the user, guiding the foot towards the target as if following an invisible field-of-forces, and also limit force and movement to ensure that erroneous feet movements do not endanger the patient,” the EPFL researchers revealed.

This four-arm configuration promises to enable one surgeon to perform four-handed laparoscopic procedures instead of the two and sometimes three healthcare workers it would require if done manually.

For more information on the four-armed robotic surgical system, watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of EPFL.