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Robopsy Takes Top Award at ASME Innovation Showcase

A CIMIT-supported research team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Mechanical Engineering Department and the Massachusetts General Hospital recently won the $10,000 first-place award at the 2008 ASME Innovation Showcase. Nine finalist teams competed for the honor.

The group, headed by Rajiv Gupta, MD, PhD and Alex Slocum, PhD, won for a remotely controlled robot that aids in image-guided percutaneous medical procedures. The small, lightweight device attaches directly to a patient and remotely aims and inserts a tiny probe at a tumor or other health abnormality, thus enabling a radiologist to perform both diagnosis and treatment, such as needle biopsies and tissue ablations, with pinpoint accuracy.

“There were many reviewers, and the fact they chose our project validates our work,” said Dr. Gupta. “We are currently working on proof of concept testing in animals, and this recognition helps because we are interested in commercialization.”

CIMIT has supplied about $100,000 in grant support, and the team has earned more than $80,000 in additional grants and awards. Those working on the technical and business side are doctoral candidates Nevan Hanumara and Conor Walsh and Dr. Slocum, a professor at MIT. Team members in the clinical and animal testing side are Dr. Gupta, and Jo-Anne Shepard, MD, both of MGH.

Robopsy was designed in close collaboration with MGH’s Radiology Department to address doctors’ specific needs. From the patient’s point of view, Robopsy can be thought of as providing doctors with an extended third hand, which is immune to radiation, does not tremor and has pin-point accuracy.

“This ASME award demonstrates that Robopsy is moving forward in their drive to improve patient care,” said CIMIT Executive Director John Parrish, MD. “We were an early supporter, and look forward to more progress from this talented group.” ASME stands for the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

"We are appreciative of the support of CIMIT, which has helped us in many ways to continue to develop this project," said Dr. Gupta.