Deam is a Dutch company founded by two colleagues from the Delft University of Technology. It specializes in handheld, steerable laparoscopic instruments. Laparoscopic instruments are used for minimally invasive surgeries, and the use of special steerable equipment can reduce the need to create larger entry wounds, thus making it easier and faster for the patient to heal. These devices can also be handled with more precision than any human hand will ever be possible of doing, being millimeter precise, and therefore reducing unwanted damage. Deam has developed and patented steering technology which enables instruments to have unlimited degrees of freedom, be smaller than any other instruments on the market and have special steering cables with different functions.
A well-known project in which Deam is involved is the PITON project. This project involves the development of a steerable needle, which is compatible in an MRI environment. This robotic needle is equipped with sensors to find the best spot to insert without causing any surrounding damage. It is also capable of reaching areas for insertion that cannot be reached by human hands. The fact that the robotic device is not made from any magnetic materials makes it MRI suitable.
