"Our goal is come up with a way to observe and measure how joints are moving when people are actually using them," said Scott Banks, the system's developer. "We think this will be tremendously powerful, not only for research but also in the clinical setting as well."

Banks said his device is intended to allow physicians to examine patients' bones, muscles and joints in real time during physical activity. By merging full-motion X-rays with computerized representations, he explained, orthopedic surgeons could make better diagnoses, suggest better treatments and assess patients' post-operative progress.

At present, orthopedic surgeons must diagnose patients by touch, or by using static X-ray images or MRI and CT scans. They also use X-ray video, but current technology allows only a tight view of a very limited range of motion �in a controlled laboratory setting.

Such techniques can be effective, but they do not work well with injuries that manifest themselves only when a joint is in motion, Banks said. These include injuries to the kneecap and the shoulder, and surgeons sometimes must operate to diagnose these conditions, which can result in unnecessary procedures.

After surgery, physicians must rely on patients telling them whether a procedure worked as intended, and they must wait to see if the procedure prevented additional joint damage.

Banks' robot actually comprises two robots: one robot to shoot the X-ray video and to hold the image sensor. So far, he has produced one prototype, a re-engineered commercial device with a one-meter mechanical arm normally used in robotically assisted surgeries and silicon-chip manufacturing. The robot can shadow a person's knee, shoulder or other joint with its hand as he or she moves.

The patient wears an LED-lit patch on the body part intended for targeting. The control system uses the patch, several cameras placed around the room and a networked computer to command the robots to track the moving joint.

When completed, the device's robotic hand will hold lightweight equipment capable of shooting X-rays, while another robot will hold the sensor that captures images of the body as moving videos. Both robots will be attached to a single fixed base, allowing room for a person to move around normally within their reach.

In the future, Banks said, "we could put these robots on wheels and they could follow you around."

Orthopedic injuries account for one of the most common causes of doctor visits in the United States, according to the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Such injuries required more than 8 million hospitalizations in 2003, and cost the U.S. economy at least $215 billion annually.

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