Robots are increasingly used in medicine and... | Computer Science (9-1) 0984 | Paper 1 Mock 01 | Computer Systems

Question 1 Report

Robots are increasingly used in medicine and surgery.

Advantage of robotic surgery	Disadvantage of robotic surgery

(a) Complete the table by giving two advantages and two disadvantages of using robots in surgery. [4]

(b) Describe two sensors that a surgical robot might use during an operation. [2]

(c) Explain why a human surgeon is still needed when a surgical robot is used. [2]

Answer

(a)

Advantages of robotic surgery	Disadvantages of robotic surgery
Robotic arms can make extremely precise, small incisions that a human hand may not be steady enough to perform, leading to less tissue damage, smaller scars, and faster patient recovery. [1]	Surgical robots are extremely expensive to purchase, install, and maintain, significantly increasing the cost of each operation. [1]
Robots do not suffer from hand tremors or fatigue during long operations, maintaining consistent precision throughout a procedure that might last many hours. [1]	There is a risk of mechanical or software failure during an operation, which could endanger the patient and require the surgical team to switch to manual surgery immediately. [1]

(b) Two sensors a surgical robot might use:

Force/pressure sensor: Detects the amount of force the robotic tool is applying to tissue. This prevents the robot from pressing too hard and causing accidental damage to delicate organs or blood vessels during the procedure. [1]
Camera/endoscope sensor: Provides a magnified, high-definition live video feed of the surgical site inside the patient's body. This allows the surgeon to see exactly where the robot's instruments are and what they are doing, with greater magnification and clarity than the naked eye. [1]

(c) A human surgeon is still needed because:

Only a human surgeon can make the clinical decisions required during an operation, such as how to respond to unexpected complications, unusual anatomy, or excessive bleeding. [1]
The surgeon controls the robot through a console, interpreting the sensor data and visual feed to guide every movement. The robot is a tool, not an autonomous decision-maker - it cannot make independent medical judgements about what is best for the patient. [1]

Answer Details

(a)

Advantages of robotic surgery	Disadvantages of robotic surgery
Robotic arms can make extremely precise, small incisions that a human hand may not be steady enough to perform, leading to less tissue damage, smaller scars, and faster patient recovery. [1]	Surgical robots are extremely expensive to purchase, install, and maintain, significantly increasing the cost of each operation. [1]
Robots do not suffer from hand tremors or fatigue during long operations, maintaining consistent precision throughout a procedure that might last many hours. [1]	There is a risk of mechanical or software failure during an operation, which could endanger the patient and require the surgical team to switch to manual surgery immediately. [1]

(b) Two sensors a surgical robot might use:

Force/pressure sensor: Detects the amount of force the robotic tool is applying to tissue. This prevents the robot from pressing too hard and causing accidental damage to delicate organs or blood vessels during the procedure. [1]
Camera/endoscope sensor: Provides a magnified, high-definition live video feed of the surgical site inside the patient's body. This allows the surgeon to see exactly where the robot's instruments are and what they are doing, with greater magnification and clarity than the naked eye. [1]

(c) A human surgeon is still needed because:

Only a human surgeon can make the clinical decisions required during an operation, such as how to respond to unexpected complications, unusual anatomy, or excessive bleeding. [1]
The surgeon controls the robot through a console, interpreting the sensor data and visual feed to guide every movement. The robot is a tool, not an autonomous decision-maker - it cannot make independent medical judgements about what is best for the patient. [1]

Robots are increasingly used in medicine and surgery. Advantage of robotic surgery Disadvantage of robotic surgery (a) Complete the table by giving two adva...