Video giving thanks for Nebraska research features Shane Farritor's surgical robot

From mini-robots that can — in a pinch — be used to carve up the holiday bird to details on how to manage family friction at the dinner table, there's a lot to be thankful for in Nebraska research.

To showcase the versatility and fine-touch of his virtual incision mini-robot, Shane Farritor, professor of mechanical and materials engineering, recently used the Nebraska-developed surgical device to carve into a rotisserie chicken.

Developed with Dmitry Oleynikov, a professor of surgery at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, the mini-robot is designed for general surgery abdominal procedures with an initial focus on colon resection. While not yet commercially available, the researchers have used the robot in a successful first-in-human procedure. Learn more about the Virtual Incision mini-robot.