‘Light’ has the potential of revolutionizing orthopaedic interventions by enabling accurate and non-contact cuts in minimally invasive settings. Laser light can be focused to a point as small as a needle tip, concentrating all its energy into that spot. This high precision minimizes damage to surrounding tissue, making it a powerful surgical tool.

Developing laser-based scalpels requires extremely accurate targeting. However, unlike traditional tools, lasers have limited focusability and lack haptic feedback. The Center for Intelligent Optics (CIO) focuses on addressing the limitations of using lasers by:

• Cutting beyond the limits: Recent developments allow laser cuts in bone deeper than 4 cm.
• Making lasers smarter: Advanced imaging and spectroscopy technologies are developed to enhance both safety and precision.