The vulnerability of the robots used in telesurgery

In 2001 in new York was made at first glance a routine operation to remove gallbladder of the patient. But in fact, this operation was not normal, because the patient was in France. It was the first successful operation performed at a distance with a robot.





Since then, telecharge began to develop. Although robotic surgery has not become the industry standard, sales of medical robots increased by 20 percent each year, and by 2025, the U.S. Department of defense plan to establish mobile assistance centers Trauma Pods, through which surgeons can operate on soldiers in the distance of hundreds or thousands of miles.



Although supporters of telesurgery thoroughly discussed the advantages (no delay due to travel time, for example, it is also theoretically possible operation in deep water or in space), still unknown to all the weaknesses of this area. Researchers from the University of Washington decided to test this technology, to test how the system susceptible to cyber attacks. According to the study, the safety of robotic surgeons is poor.

Cracking the router that connected the doctor to the robot, the researchers were able to modify the commands causing movements of the robot become sluggish and inaccurate. They were doing movements is longer or shorter than exhibited by the doctor, started the mechanism of automatic stop, which is not allowed to continue the operation, and eventually were able to take control of the robot. They also found that the video connection that allowed the surgeon to see he was in the public domain.

The operation is so delicate and precise process that any type of attack at a critical moment can be fatal for the patient. The researchers suggest a number of ways that will help to make telekarelia more secure, including encryption of data during transmission from the surgeon to the robot, which makes the software more sensitive to errors and attacks on data changes and improves monitoring of the network state before the operation and in the process. These changes will make robots immune to attacks, but it will be a big step in the right direction. To talk about it and establish a security policy it is important before telekarelia will become the standard, the authors write. It is necessary that the public felt safe in agreeing to such a procedure.published

P. S. And remember, only by changing their consumption — together we change the world! ©

Source: www.robo-hunter.com/news/uyazvimost-robotov-ispolzuemih-v-telehirurgii