Robotic Arm Challenge: the project of the Da Vinci Team from Sapri.
Are we certain that school and work are that far apart? In early May, in “Naples Precedes the Future of Healthcare in Italy,” the ANSA News Agency reported that the “Istituto dei tumori Pascale” was the first hospital in Italy to use a cutting-edge single-port surgery robot. The new device completes the fourth generation of da Vinci robots, providing surgeons with the opportunity to treat a greater number of patients, with a more appropriate approach based on personal characteristics, thereby reducing inflammatory processes resulting from surgical incisions. The most advanced surgical robot this year celebrates 25 years of work in operating rooms.
Also in Campania, there is a school where students have learned to build and programme robotic arms capable of simplifying the work of surgeons. Their school is called like the robot, Leonardo da Vinci, and is located in Sapri, in the Province of Salerno. The school is directed by Corrado Limongi. Unfortunately, however, their feat has not made the news, as so often happens with school.
So, let's try to tell their story. The team, which includes three boys and a girl – Gianluca Vassallucci, Rossella Caiafa, Gianmarco Pacetti, and Massimo Massimila –, was coordinated by Prof. Antonio Fidelio. They worked on the MedAssistant BOT project: an advanced robotic arm designed to securely present medical instruments during surgical procedures. “Equipped with precise joints and sensors, the MedAssistant BOT offers precise control to the surgeon through an intuitive interface, with the addition of voice commands that optimize the user experience,” explain the students. “The advanced hand ensures a stable and more human-like grip, while the sensors improve environmental perception. Programmable to adapt to different procedures, this sterilizable robotic arm is designed to optimize operational efficiency, improve patient safety, and facilitate collaboration between surgeons and medical technology.”
The team presented MedAssistant BOT and won the Robotic Arm Makers category at the first edition of the Robotic Arm Challenge held as part of RomeCup 2024.
Here is a short interview with Gianluca and Gianmarco filmed during the final stages of the competition. The school also participated in the RomeCup’s Explorer category, finishing in fourth place.
