And Now, Robodoc!

A robot in California performs its first invasive surgery on a human patient.

Medical robots in the U.S. have been used to locate hard-to-find tumors and guide a surgeon’s scalpel, but have never actually performed surgery on people. Now that line has been crossed. At Sutter General Hospital in Sacramento, California, a 90-kg machine called Robodoc has operated on its first human patient: a 64-year-old man with a bad hip.

The robot played a key role in a total hip replacement, one of 500,000 such operations performed each year. The trick in these procedures is to create a snug hole into which the artificial hip snaps. The standard method is to jam a cutting tool into the thighbone with a handheld mallet. Robodoc, using the high-speed drill at the end of its mechanical arm, can ream a cavity that is 20 times as precise.

Robosurgery doesn’t have to stop at the hip. In Europe, where officials are less squeamish about such things, robots have assisted in operations on the brain, the prostate and the inner ear.

(Time International, November 23 1992, p.15)

The Pilot's Advice

- Daytime. South America. Overcast. Good Visibility.

      On approaching the buoyed deep water channel which led to the breakwater at the entrance to the port, I was in radio contact with the pilot launch, who reported that he was taking a pilot to a vessel anchored further out before bringing us our pilot. On receipt of this information I slowed to a speed to give bare steerage way. Eventually, however, we arrived at the buoyed channel before the pilot launch had returned to us, therefore, I altered course to proceed up the buoyed channel with still minimum power to counteract the cross-tide effect. Once the pilot boarded he ordered "Full Ahead" and moved into the centre of the channel. By this time the other vessel entering the port was close astern of us and rapidly overtaking our vessel. There then developed an intense discussion in the local language between my pilot and the pilot of the overtaking vessel as to who should pass through the breakwater first. Following this discussion my pilot advised me that as we were proceeding further up the harbor we should enter first and so we should maintain full speed. By this time the other vessel's bow was level with our stern and still overhauling us rapidly.

      The situation was allowed by both pilots to develop until the bows were level. I was conning my vessel from the bridge front auxiliary tiller and could feel the intense interaction between the two vessels, I insisted to my pilot that we should reduce speed and allow the other vessel to proceed ahead of us. At this time the pilot of the other vessel stated clearly that my vessel should enter the breakwater first and that he had put his vessel on slow speed, we were then no more than 3 cables from the breakwater. The other vessel dropped rapidly astern and a dangerous situation was averted.

      I think this was a case of the "Senior" pilot on the other vessel bullying the pilot on our vessel and so causing a hazardous and highly unnecessary situation.

                                                  (from the site: www.nautinst.org - MARS Report 93009)

The Pilot's Advice

- Daytime. South America. Overcast. Good Visibility.

      On approaching the buoyed deep water channel which led to the breakwater at the entrance to the port, I was in radio contact with the pilot launch, who reported that he was taking a pilot to a vessel anchored further out before bringing us our pilot. On receipt of this information I slowed to a speed to give bare steerage way. Eventually, however, we arrived at the buoyed channel before the pilot launch had returned to us, therefore, I altered course to proceed up the buoyed channel with still minimum power to counteract the cross-tide effect. Once the pilot boarded he ordered "Full Ahead" and moved into the centre of the channel. By this time the other vessel entering the port was close astern of us and rapidly overtaking our vessel. There then developed an intense discussion in the local language between my pilot and the pilot of the overtaking vessel as to who should pass through the breakwater first. Following this discussion my pilot advised me that as we were proceeding further up the harbor we should enter first and so we should maintain full speed. By this time the other vessel's bow was level with our stern and still overhauling us rapidly.

      The situation was allowed by both pilots to develop until the bows were level. I was conning my vessel from the bridge front auxiliary tiller and could feel the intense interaction between the two vessels, I insisted to my pilot that we should reduce speed and allow the other vessel to proceed ahead of us. At this time the pilot of the other vessel stated clearly that my vessel should enter the breakwater first and that he had put his vessel on slow speed, we were then no more than 3 cables from the breakwater. The other vessel dropped rapidly astern and a dangerous situation was averted.

      I think this was a case of the "Senior" pilot on the other vessel bullying the pilot on our vessel and so causing a hazardous and highly unnecessary situation.

                                                  (from the site: www.nautinst.org - MARS Report 93009)

Survivors say Canadian tall ship sank in minutes

      Students and crew rescued from the sinking of a Canadia nowned tal ship in the South Atlantic were back on solid and Saturday after spending up to 40 hours in life rafts after their ship capsized.

      The first of 64 people on board the three-masted SV Concordia were ferried into Rio de Janeiro aboard Brazilian Navy and merchant vessels, exhausted but relieved after their long ordeal.

      Wearing navy caps and borrowed clothing, 12 of those rescued held an emotional news conference in Rio. The rest were to arrive later in the afternoon on two merchant vessels.

      CTV producer Ana Pereira said survivors indicated that the ship went down very quickly, slipping beneath the waves. The ship’s captain said that his vessel sank Wednesday afternoon-a day earlier than previously reported - after being flipped on its side by a powerful gust of wind. He and his passengers and crew were rescued by merchant ships early Friday.

      Capt. William Curry told reporters he was below deck when the ship suddenly keeled, banking over at a sharp, angle in the strong wind. Curry said that was normal, but when the vessel immediately went over a second time, he knew the vessel was in great danger.

      The captain blamed the wreck on a “microburst”, a sudden, vertical downdraft that struck the entire surf ace area of the Concordia’s sails as it was angled over to one side. Within seconds, the boat went from sailing upright to lying on its side and beginning to sink.

      Thirty minutes later it was completely underwater, Curry said.

      “The boat started keeling a lot”, said 16-year-old passenger Lauren Unsworth, a Dutch-Canadian who lives in Amsterdam. “It came back up, keeled again, was basically lying on its side and all the windows began to break. That’s when we knew it was time to flee.”

      Curry said that they abandoned ship and took to their life rafts in high winds and heavy seas, spending more than a day adrift in the Atlantic before spotting their rescuers.

      “We had been in the life raft for about 30 hours when we saw a search plane for the first time”, Unsworth added. “That’s when we knew we were not alone and that help was on the way.” Toronto-native Keaton Farwell said her biggest fear was that no one was aware the group needed to be rescued.

      “We thought our signal had failed and nobody knew and it could be weeks before we were saved”, she told a news conference. “The worst life-and-death thoughts were going through our heads, and everybody was panicking.”

      The Navy said the distress signal was picked up about 5 p.m. Thursday. An Air Force plane later spotted life rafts in the ocean about 500 kilometers from Rio and a Navy ship and nearby merchant vessels moved in to aid in the rescue.

      The first 12 crew and students came into port aboard a Brazilian Navy frigate. The rest were heading into Rio aboard slower merchant vessels and were expected to arrive later Saturday afternoon.

      The Concordia was five days out from Montevideo, Uruguay, when it sank.

      The Federal Transportations Safety Board says it will assist in an investigation to be led by the ship’s flag state country, Barbados.

      The Concordia is owned by West Island College International with offices in Lunenburg, N.S. Forty-two of those onboard were identified as Canadians, mostly high school and university students, said Kate Knight, head of West Island College International of Lunenburg, which operates the Class Afloat program.

      Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement thanking the Brazilian Navy and the merchant ships “for their swift and heroic response.”

                                          (Adapted from: www.ctv.ca, www.ap.com, Feb. 2010) 

Survivors say Canadian tall ship sank in minutes

      Students and crew rescued from the sinking of a Canadia nowned tal ship in the South Atlantic were back on solid and Saturday after spending up to 40 hours in life rafts after their ship capsized.

      The first of 64 people on board the three-masted SV Concordia were ferried into Rio de Janeiro aboard Brazilian Navy and merchant vessels, exhausted but relieved after their long ordeal.

      Wearing navy caps and borrowed clothing, 12 of those rescued held an emotional news conference in Rio. The rest were to arrive later in the afternoon on two merchant vessels.

      CTV producer Ana Pereira said survivors indicated that the ship went down very quickly, slipping beneath the waves. The ship’s captain said that his vessel sank Wednesday afternoon-a day earlier than previously reported - after being flipped on its side by a powerful gust of wind. He and his passengers and crew were rescued by merchant ships early Friday.

      Capt. William Curry told reporters he was below deck when the ship suddenly keeled, banking over at a sharp, angle in the strong wind. Curry said that was normal, but when the vessel immediately went over a second time, he knew the vessel was in great danger.

      The captain blamed the wreck on a “microburst”, a sudden, vertical downdraft that struck the entire surf ace area of the Concordia’s sails as it was angled over to one side. Within seconds, the boat went from sailing upright to lying on its side and beginning to sink.

      Thirty minutes later it was completely underwater, Curry said.

      “The boat started keeling a lot”, said 16-year-old passenger Lauren Unsworth, a Dutch-Canadian who lives in Amsterdam. “It came back up, keeled again, was basically lying on its side and all the windows began to break. That’s when we knew it was time to flee.”

      Curry said that they abandoned ship and took to their life rafts in high winds and heavy seas, spending more than a day adrift in the Atlantic before spotting their rescuers.

      “We had been in the life raft for about 30 hours when we saw a search plane for the first time”, Unsworth added. “That’s when we knew we were not alone and that help was on the way.” Toronto-native Keaton Farwell said her biggest fear was that no one was aware the group needed to be rescued.

      “We thought our signal had failed and nobody knew and it could be weeks before we were saved”, she told a news conference. “The worst life-and-death thoughts were going through our heads, and everybody was panicking.”

      The Navy said the distress signal was picked up about 5 p.m. Thursday. An Air Force plane later spotted life rafts in the ocean about 500 kilometers from Rio and a Navy ship and nearby merchant vessels moved in to aid in the rescue.

      The first 12 crew and students came into port aboard a Brazilian Navy frigate. The rest were heading into Rio aboard slower merchant vessels and were expected to arrive later Saturday afternoon.

      The Concordia was five days out from Montevideo, Uruguay, when it sank.

      The Federal Transportations Safety Board says it will assist in an investigation to be led by the ship’s flag state country, Barbados.

      The Concordia is owned by West Island College International with offices in Lunenburg, N.S. Forty-two of those onboard were identified as Canadians, mostly high school and university students, said Kate Knight, head of West Island College International of Lunenburg, which operates the Class Afloat program.

      Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement thanking the Brazilian Navy and the merchant ships “for their swift and heroic response.”

                                          (Adapted from: www.ctv.ca, www.ap.com, Feb. 2010) 

Survivors say Canadian tall ship sank in minutes

      Students and crew rescued from the sinking of a Canadia nowned tal ship in the South Atlantic were back on solid and Saturday after spending up to 40 hours in life rafts after their ship capsized.

      The first of 64 people on board the three-masted SV Concordia were ferried into Rio de Janeiro aboard Brazilian Navy and merchant vessels, exhausted but relieved after their long ordeal.

      Wearing navy caps and borrowed clothing, 12 of those rescued held an emotional news conference in Rio. The rest were to arrive later in the afternoon on two merchant vessels.

      CTV producer Ana Pereira said survivors indicated that the ship went down very quickly, slipping beneath the waves. The ship’s captain said that his vessel sank Wednesday afternoon-a day earlier than previously reported - after being flipped on its side by a powerful gust of wind. He and his passengers and crew were rescued by merchant ships early Friday.

      Capt. William Curry told reporters he was below deck when the ship suddenly keeled, banking over at a sharp, angle in the strong wind. Curry said that was normal, but when the vessel immediately went over a second time, he knew the vessel was in great danger.

      The captain blamed the wreck on a “microburst”, a sudden, vertical downdraft that struck the entire surf ace area of the Concordia’s sails as it was angled over to one side. Within seconds, the boat went from sailing upright to lying on its side and beginning to sink.

      Thirty minutes later it was completely underwater, Curry said.

      “The boat started keeling a lot”, said 16-year-old passenger Lauren Unsworth, a Dutch-Canadian who lives in Amsterdam. “It came back up, keeled again, was basically lying on its side and all the windows began to break. That’s when we knew it was time to flee.”

      Curry said that they abandoned ship and took to their life rafts in high winds and heavy seas, spending more than a day adrift in the Atlantic before spotting their rescuers.

      “We had been in the life raft for about 30 hours when we saw a search plane for the first time”, Unsworth added. “That’s when we knew we were not alone and that help was on the way.” Toronto-native Keaton Farwell said her biggest fear was that no one was aware the group needed to be rescued.

      “We thought our signal had failed and nobody knew and it could be weeks before we were saved”, she told a news conference. “The worst life-and-death thoughts were going through our heads, and everybody was panicking.”

      The Navy said the distress signal was picked up about 5 p.m. Thursday. An Air Force plane later spotted life rafts in the ocean about 500 kilometers from Rio and a Navy ship and nearby merchant vessels moved in to aid in the rescue.

      The first 12 crew and students came into port aboard a Brazilian Navy frigate. The rest were heading into Rio aboard slower merchant vessels and were expected to arrive later Saturday afternoon.

      The Concordia was five days out from Montevideo, Uruguay, when it sank.

      The Federal Transportations Safety Board says it will assist in an investigation to be led by the ship’s flag state country, Barbados.

      The Concordia is owned by West Island College International with offices in Lunenburg, N.S. Forty-two of those onboard were identified as Canadians, mostly high school and university students, said Kate Knight, head of West Island College International of Lunenburg, which operates the Class Afloat program.

      Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement thanking the Brazilian Navy and the merchant ships “for their swift and heroic response.”

                                          (Adapted from: www.ctv.ca, www.ap.com, Feb. 2010) 

Survivors say Canadian tall ship sank in minutes

      Students and crew rescued from the sinking of a Canadia nowned tal ship in the South Atlantic were back on solid and Saturday after spending up to 40 hours in life rafts after their ship capsized.

      The first of 64 people on board the three-masted SV Concordia were ferried into Rio de Janeiro aboard Brazilian Navy and merchant vessels, exhausted but relieved after their long ordeal.

      Wearing navy caps and borrowed clothing, 12 of those rescued held an emotional news conference in Rio. The rest were to arrive later in the afternoon on two merchant vessels.

      CTV producer Ana Pereira said survivors indicated that the ship went down very quickly, slipping beneath the waves. The ship’s captain said that his vessel sank Wednesday afternoon-a day earlier than previously reported - after being flipped on its side by a powerful gust of wind. He and his passengers and crew were rescued by merchant ships early Friday.

      Capt. William Curry told reporters he was below deck when the ship suddenly keeled, banking over at a sharp, angle in the strong wind. Curry said that was normal, but when the vessel immediately went over a second time, he knew the vessel was in great danger.

      The captain blamed the wreck on a “microburst”, a sudden, vertical downdraft that struck the entire surf ace area of the Concordia’s sails as it was angled over to one side. Within seconds, the boat went from sailing upright to lying on its side and beginning to sink.

      Thirty minutes later it was completely underwater, Curry said.

      “The boat started keeling a lot”, said 16-year-old passenger Lauren Unsworth, a Dutch-Canadian who lives in Amsterdam. “It came back up, keeled again, was basically lying on its side and all the windows began to break. That’s when we knew it was time to flee.”

      Curry said that they abandoned ship and took to their life rafts in high winds and heavy seas, spending more than a day adrift in the Atlantic before spotting their rescuers.

      “We had been in the life raft for about 30 hours when we saw a search plane for the first time”, Unsworth added. “That’s when we knew we were not alone and that help was on the way.” Toronto-native Keaton Farwell said her biggest fear was that no one was aware the group needed to be rescued.

      “We thought our signal had failed and nobody knew and it could be weeks before we were saved”, she told a news conference. “The worst life-and-death thoughts were going through our heads, and everybody was panicking.”

      The Navy said the distress signal was picked up about 5 p.m. Thursday. An Air Force plane later spotted life rafts in the ocean about 500 kilometers from Rio and a Navy ship and nearby merchant vessels moved in to aid in the rescue.

      The first 12 crew and students came into port aboard a Brazilian Navy frigate. The rest were heading into Rio aboard slower merchant vessels and were expected to arrive later Saturday afternoon.

      The Concordia was five days out from Montevideo, Uruguay, when it sank.

      The Federal Transportations Safety Board says it will assist in an investigation to be led by the ship’s flag state country, Barbados.

      The Concordia is owned by West Island College International with offices in Lunenburg, N.S. Forty-two of those onboard were identified as Canadians, mostly high school and university students, said Kate Knight, head of West Island College International of Lunenburg, which operates the Class Afloat program.

      Prime Minister Stephen Harper issued a statement thanking the Brazilian Navy and the merchant ships “for their swift and heroic response.”

                                          (Adapted from: www.ctv.ca, www.ap.com, Feb. 2010)