# Episode 101: Microscopic surgical robots - Christos Bergeles

- Show: [Robot Talk](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk)
- Published: 2024-12-06
- Length: 21m
- Episode: 101
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-06-episode-101-microscopic-surgical-robots-christos-bergeles
- Listen: https://ukrobotics.libsyn.com/episode-101-christos-bergeles-microscopic-surgical-robots

## Summary

Christos Bergeles, a professor at King's College London, discusses his Robotics and Vision in Medicine Lab's development of microscopic surgical robots for delivering regenerative therapies deep inside the human body. He details a specific project targeting age-related macular degeneration, where a robotic system delivers stem cells to the retina with microscale precision, currently progressing toward first-in-human evaluation under ISO 13485 standards. Bergeles also explains how computer vision enables autostabilization to compensate for patient movement during awake eye surgery and addresses the ethical and data ownership challenges of autonomous surgical systems.

## Chapters

- [0:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-06-episode-101-microscopic-surgical-robots-christos-bergeles#t=7) Introduction: Robot Talk and Christos Bergeles
- [2:30](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-06-episode-101-microscopic-surgical-robots-christos-bergeles#t=150) Lab Vision: Soft, flexible robots with physical intelligence
- [5:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-06-episode-101-microscopic-surgical-robots-christos-bergeles#t=301) Retinal Stem Cell Delivery for Macular Degeneration
- [8:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-06-episode-101-microscopic-surgical-robots-christos-bergeles#t=523) Regulatory Progress: ISO 13485 and MHRA Approval
- [10:01](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-06-episode-101-microscopic-surgical-robots-christos-bergeles#t=601) Computer Vision for Autostabilization in Eye Surgery
- [12:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-06-episode-101-microscopic-surgical-robots-christos-bergeles#t=728) Ethics, Data Ownership, and NHS Trusts
- [14:38](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-06-episode-101-microscopic-surgical-robots-christos-bergeles#t=878) Other Projects: Unfolding Catheters and Alzheimer's Scaffolds
- [16:20](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/robot-talk/2024-12-06-episode-101-microscopic-surgical-robots-christos-bergeles#t=980) Public Engagement and Patient Feedback

## Topics

- [Robotics & autonomy](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/robotics-and-autonomy)
- [Medical & health devices](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/medical-devices)
- [Sensors & measurement in products](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/sensors)
- [AI & machine learning](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/ai-and-machine-learning)
- [Certification & compliance](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/certification-and-compliance)

## Most relevant to

early-stage companies

## Mentioned

- King's College London (company)
- Robotics and Vision in Medicine Lab (other)
- da Vinci (product)
- MHRA (other)
- ISO 13485 (other)
- New Scientist Live (other)
- Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition (other)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Axel Krieger | Autonomous Robotics in the Medical Device Field](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2022-03-25-axel-krieger-autonomous-robotics-in-the-medical-device-field) (Being an Engineer)
- [Amazon Astro underwhelms robotics community; Vicarious Surgical CEO Adam Sachs](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2021-09-30-amazon-astro-underwhelms-robotics-community-vicarious-surgical-ceo-adam-sachs) (The Robot Report Podcast)
- [Joe Bogusky| Surgical Robots, Catheter R&D, & Seahorse Tails](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/being-an-engineer/2022-05-20-joe-bogusky-surgical-robots-catheter-r-d-seahorse-tails) (Being an Engineer)
- [68. Bird-inspired Bipedal Robots & Robotic Surgeons](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-next-byte-podcast/2022-05-03-68-bird-inspired-bipedal-robots-robotic-surgeons) (The Next Byte Podcast)
- [Amazon’s security drone, life-size Gundam & robotic-assisted surgery](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-robot-report-podcast/2020-09-30-amazons-security-drone-life-size-gundam-robotic-assisted-surgery) (The Robot Report Podcast)

## Citing this page

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