Why next-generation surgical systems will include eye tracking

Summary

Bringing a new medical device to market is often the result of years of collaboration. Commercialization relies on long-term relationships, financial investment, niche technology, and an ability to stay the course through lengthy certification processes.

Throughout product development, medical technology companies manage the balance of innovation, cost, and feasibility. Most technology components provide a purpose, but they also need to be affordable and fit with the overall design of a device. Before adding new technology to medical-device architectures, its value needs to be proven.

This paper describes how eye tracking enables surgeons to control robots, pan, scroll, and select objects with the movement of their eyes—keeping their hands on the controls and attention on the patient. We show how this technology can simplify surgical workflows, facilitate skills transfer, enable additional safety features, and why it will be included in next-generation medical devices.