Operating Room X (OR-X): Where the surgery of tomorrow is taking shape
New technologies such as artificial intelligence and robotics are transforming surgery and creating new opportunities for research and education. The OR-X enables us to explore and test such developments, while allowing surgeons to train with new techniques under clinically relevant conditions.
How are new surgical techniques developed? And how do surgeons learn to use new technologies safely?
At the OR-X, the surgical research and training center of Balgrist University Hospital and the University of Zurich, we explore precisely these questions. In a highly realistic operating room environment, we research and test new technologies, surgical techniques, and training methods under conditions that closely mimic everyday clinical practice. Research and training are directly intertwined in this process: While innovations are safely developed and validated, it also offers an opportunity to train surgeons in new procedures in a practical setting and prepare them for future use on patients. Researchers, surgeons, and industry partners work closely together at the OR-X to ensure that new findings and medical technologies find their way into clinical practice more quickly and safely.
At Scientifica, you’ll gain insights into the fascinating world of surgical research. A virtual tour invites you to explore the OR-X digitally, while you can learn about surgical instruments at the booth. At two research stations, you’ll also experience how research and surgical training interact within the OR-X: On the one hand, the PROFICIENCY research project demonstrates how augmented reality can support surgical training, while on the other hand a Franka robot showcases the potential of robot-assisted navigation for minimally invasive procedures.
