SURGERY IN THE MID-20TH CENTURY INVOLVED incisions large and deep enough for the surgeon to submerge his hands. (In that era, surgeons were almost universally men.) Operations were on the one hand bloody and intrusive, while on the other dependent on skill shading toward some sort of magic on the part of the surgeon’s hands.
Today’s surgeons are no less skilled, but modern tools have changed the nature of surgery. Advances in fiber optics and miniaturized robots have led to laparoscopic surgery, which involves inserting a thin instrument through a narrow incision. The system translates the movements of the surgeon’s hands to a set of tiny tools at the end of the instrument, with the surgeon able to see a magnified view of the operation site. The magic today in no small part resides in these precisely engineered machines, and the outcomes of surgery have improved considerably.
This issue, we have tasked Poornima Apte with writing about where this revolution in robotic surgery is headed next. Apte, who trained as a mechanical engineer before switching careers, discovered that the field is advancing—and mutating—rapidly. Surgical systems, which have often weighed nearly a ton, are slimming down so they can reach patients more readily. Other systems are using high-speed data connections to enable surgeons to operate on patients hundreds of miles away, or potentially in orbit. A steerable PIllBot, which today carries lights and camera to conduct a non-intrusive endoscopic exam, could one day wield surgical tools.
As Alabama surgeon Daniel McMahon told Apte, “Twenty years ago, I would never have thought that things would be moving this fast but it’s picking up speed.”
Elsewhere in the issue, Nancy Kristof reports on efforts to recycle the materials from giant wind turbine blades and high-tech solar cells. It’s a pressing problem, as the first generation of wind and solar farms are nearing the end of their service life. These large structures were designed to be strong and durable, which is great while they were exposed to the elements but which makes finding a second life for their materials a challenge. Kristof spoke to researchers in government, academia, and industry who are developing methods for carefully separating out reusable components.
Ever wonder what it would be like to have a tail? Elsewhere in the issue, we talk to engineers who have built a robotic tail that can help provide stability to people with balance challenges. Also, there’s a report on researchers at Sandia National Laboratory who are studying bits for use in deep geothermal drilling, and we throw a spotlight on an engineering graduate student who designed (and patented) a violin that can be made via 3D printing.
That’s not all. ASME’s Video Production team has delivered a wonderful profile of Anand Sethupathy, who was recently promoted to chief strategy officer. We also have a report on technicians who are repairing so-called picosolar systems, which are small enough to power individual gadgets and are prone to failing after only a few years. Autodesk's Curt Chan discusses the manufacturing skills gap, and our Career Focus asks whether engineers need to be concerned about AI negatively impacting their employment prospects.
Also, the Global Gas Turbine News returns, with an 12-page supplement tucked in the pages of our magazine. And if you haven’t see them, do check out our January, February, and March issues.
Finally, we are bringing back a long-time favorite section of the magazine: The Letters and Comments page. We took a few months off to let members settle in to the new digital format and to figure out just how best to present your letters. It's still a work in progress, but we are ready to start receiving your brickbats and bouquets. Write us at MEMAG@asme.org with the subject line "Letters" (so we can find it amid the junk mail we receive). We'll start publishing an edited selection in the coming months.
Let us hear from you.
—Jeffrey Winters, editor in chief
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