Santa Monica Students Name Marina del Rey Robot

Santa Monica middle school students on Thursday named a $2 million surgical robot used at the Marina del Rey Hospital.

The hospital held a naming contest for science students at John Adams Middle School, and student Alma Blanco won the competition with her name submission – Surgio.

Surgio helps surgeons in robotic-assisted surgery to provide patients with options that are less invasive than traditional methods. Smaller incisions are necessary and therefore scars are minimized and subsequently recovery time is quicker.

The surgeon controls the robot, which adjusts each human hand movement to a more precise motion. The robot does not act on its own, the doctor has complete control. The $2 million Surgio is capable of a 10x magnification and 3D viewing of the operative area.

Alma will receive a gift card to Amazon and the Marina del Rey Hospital will also make a donation to the PSTA.