Did you know? The skin is the largest organ in the human body and is responsible for a variety of functions, such as perception of the environment, thermoregulation or important synthesis processes for hormones. In order to be able to examine skin changes, the naked eye reaches its limits for a careful assessment. For this purpose, skin samples are taken by the dermatologist or pathologist, which are later positioned by a laboratory on sample carriers with a thickness less than a human hair. Previously, these samples were manuallydigitized using a microscope. Due to higher requirements and the time-consuming manual work, there are solutions through the use of smart and state-of-the-art medical technology, which can be mapped with a fully automated processing process. The space requirement of the entire machine amounts to a compact installation area of approx. 3 square meters.

The CRG30-050 gripping system from the Performance Line by Weiss Robotics offers, among other things the basis that the samples can be safely brought to one of the six high-resolution microscopes. In connection with an industrial robot from the KUKA®, the smart gripping system is controlled via PROFINET connection via IO-Link. The gripping force retention as a "must have feature" plays an important role here, since the sample carriers must be held securely even in the event of a power failure. Since the cycle time requirement is an important indicator here too, the flexible CRG30-050 gripping system shows its advantages, such as Smart prepositioning through integrated recipe management in the gripper.

Illustration of a skin sample with different levels of magnification

An excerpt from the various process steps & features of the system

• flexible and safe handling process for samples and carriers
• innovative intermediate storage of samples for the scanning process (more than 300 different waypoints)
• the safe assignment of the samples through QR technology
• Automated position detection of the sample in preparation for the final partial high-resolution image
• 6 microscopes with connection to a data file server
• the visual control of all scan processes is carried out by software, among other things via a touch panel.

In the future the question arises, whether AI (artificial intelligence) will play a role as a supporting part of the doctor in the diagnosis. One can be curious.

SWI 23.09.2020
Source: Arcos