New Smaller Flexible Robotic Surgical System from South Korea

At KAIST, a major South Korean science, and technology university, researchers have developed a flexible robotic surgical system that is designed to work on difficult to reach places. The K-FLEX endoscopic surgical robot has arms that are only 3.7 mm in diameter, allowing them to work through standard 4.2 mm internal channels of an endoscope. Since each robotic arm doesn’t need its own incision, as is usual with current robotic surgical systems, using the K-FLEX is a lot less invasive and should lead to fewer complications for patients. Moreover, it can be delivered through natural orifices, such as the mouth and anus, to sites that otherwise would require an external incision.