Fiber Optics, Endoscopy, And The Future

Fiber optics are impacting nearly every conceivable industry, from communications to automotive to defense. Not to be left out is the medical fiber optics industry which, according to NAI, is poised to be worth $1 billion by 2024. This growing interest in optical fibers and fiber-optic sensors (FOS) has resulted in a surge of research and development for new products.

Given their EM immunity, intrinsic safety, small size and weight, autoclave compatibility, and capability to perform multi-point and multi-parameter sensing remotely, fiber-optic-based sensors are ideally suited for a broad variety of applications – invasive and non-invasive – in life sciences, clinical research, medical monitoring, and diagnostics, ranging from laser delivery systems to disposable blood gas sensors to intra-aortic pressure probes.

The use of fiber optics in medical devices, including endoscopes and laparoscopes, has significantly improved the surgical process for patients. These devices utilize thin and flexible fibers to transmit real-time images and light, allowing doctors to perform surgeries through small incisions. As a result, patients experience faster recovery times and less scarring. In addition, the advanced capabilities of deep fiber connections enable telemedicine and remote surgeries with reduced latency and high-quality live video streaming.

NAI notes that fiber optics played a part in numerous healthcare advancements including “minimally invasive surgery, the increased use of disposable probes and catheters, and the automation of medical procedures all show their influence.” While generally seen as a positive, the use of fiber optics has left surgeons with a diminished sense of haptic feedback that would have occurred if performing the procedures manually.

As a result, researchers are working on ways to increase haptic feedback when surgeons are using these tools. “The difficult part of emulating human touch … is that humans experience in stages the stimuli we understand as touch,” writes NAI. “Enabling a medical fiber optics-equipped robot to process texture, force, and position the way the human brain does is a complex computational problem.”

Scientists are currently exploring various methods of developing tactile sensors such as piezoelectricity, capacitors, and optics. These sensors could be utilized in a haptic feedback system that incorporates medical fiber optics and sensors to create fully functional artificial skin. Moreover, this technology could potentially lead to the development of surgical gloves that do not compromise on sensation due to the material.