Key points from article :
Surgeon controlled robot via a joystick to remove a membrane one hundredth of a millimetre thick.
Robot has seven motors and filters out surgeon’s hand tremors.
Normally the operation causes some haemorrhage to the retina.
In future hope to do more complex and delicate operations that are impossible with the human hand.
Developed by Dutch company Preceyes – aiming for market entry in 2018.
COMMENT: still a glorified instrument rather than a self-driven robot – but the more its used the more likely it could be automated in future.
