Amit Lal's research creations could give surgeons an incomparable new edge in medicine. Lal, a professor of electrical and computer and biomedical engineering, has created a new class of medical cutting tools etched from silicon wafers, using some of the same lithography techniques behind integrated circuits. His silicon blades are up to 10 times as sharp as the advanced medical tools made from metal.

The technology could lead to greater precision for highly sensitive procedures, such as cataract surgery or neurosurgery, Lal says. His devices use an electrical process called ultrasonics, which creates extremely fast sonic vibrations that are beyond human perception. Ultrasonic medical tools have been used for years in cataract surgery, where the vibration helps break up and remove cataract tissue. Lal's ultrasonic applications can vibrate the working end of his cutting tools up to 200,000 times per second, roughly eight times faster than any ultrasonic devices on the market.

Silicon also allows the machine-makers to integrate mechanical and electrical properties together in the same device. That means medical tools can be equipped with built-in sensors and monitors that will instantly communicate back to doctors. This real-time feedback could greatly expand the use of ultrasonic tools to areas such as neurosurgery where precision is paramount.

Photo by Jeff Miller