This year, the project Sensorized Surgery was presented at the MINT Festival, offering students insights into the close integration of medical challenges, technological development, and scientific research. The aim was to highlight interdisciplinary collaboration and emphasize the importance of STEM subjects for medical progress.
Medical Challenges as a Starting Point
In neurosurgery, one of the greatest challenges is the precise distinction between healthy and pathological tissue. This is where the Sensorized Surgery project comes in: new methods and technologies are being developed to help surgeons identify tumor boundaries more reliably, ultimately improving surgical outcomes.
This medical requirement serves as the starting point for close collaboration between disciplines – from medicine to engineering and computer science. At the festival, visitors were able to see how complex medical problems are translated into technological solutions.
Interactive Demonstrations
To make this interface between medicine and technology more tangible, we offered students several hands-on activities:
– Fluorescence diagnostics: A sample treated with fluorescent dye glowed under UV light, illustrating how such markers are used in neurosurgery.
– Histological analysis: Using microscopes, students could examine native and stained tumor sections – a central step in pathological diagnostics and a
foundation for imaging and sensor-based approaches.
– Haptic exploration: Equipped with surgical gloves and silicone models, participants attempted to detect tumor boundaries by touch, reflecting the role of
haptic feedback in surgical practice.
– Technological prototypes: The haptic prototype developed at TU Ilmenau offered a glimpse into current research on how sensor technology and robotics
can support surgeons in achieving greater precision and safety.
Inspiring the Next Generation
The many questions and the high level of interest demonstrated how strongly the combination of medical challenges and technological solutions resonates with young people. Events like this play an important role in showcasing the diversity of STEM careers and encouraging students to pursue interdisciplinary research fields.
Conclusion
Participation in the MINT Festival was a valuable opportunity to present the Sensorized Surgery project to a wider audience. It highlighted not only the essential role of collaboration between medicine, engineering, and science in advancing healthcare, but also the potential to inspire the next generation of researchers and innovators.