Project Description:

Interventional radiology (IR) is a growing medical specialty that utilizes minimally invasive techniques to address a wide variety of life-threatening conditions, including internal bleeding and tumors. Unfortunately, over 1/3 of the US population does not have access to these specialists in their county. These IR procedures save or improve over 6 million lives in the US each year, but only for those who can reach the right care in time.    

 Our system bridges this gap by enabling physicians to remotely perform a key interventional radiology technique: embolization. This procedure involves the preparation and delivery of a custom medical fluid that blocks targeted blood flow. RIVER automates fluid mixing, agitation, and injection through a teleoperated platform that allows real-time physician control of both solution ratios and injection speed. The system is powered by embedded mechanical and software controls to ensure physicians are confident they are delivering the same precise care as if they were in person. 

With support from clinical experts at Emory, we developed and tested RIVER to align with current procedural workflows—ensuring remote operation without compromising precision or safety. RIVER has the potential to transform access to specialist care by bringing expert hands where they’re needed most, no matter the distance.