From Pain to Prevention: The Story Behind a Surgical Exoskeleton with Dr. Daniel Kim

Episode Details: In this episode of the Surgical Ergonomics Podcast, Dr. Daniel Kim shares his personal journey with the physical demands of operating and how his own experience with neck and back strain ultimately led to the development of a surgical exoskeleton. He shares how early prototypes evolved, the challenges of designing a system that surgeons would actually want to wear, and why addressing issues such as headaches, comfort, mobility, and durability was essential. About Our Guest: Dr. Daniel Kim is a Clinical Professor in the Department of Plastic Surgery at the University of California, Irvine and has been practicing plastic surgery for more than 25 years. He maintains a private practice in California and specializes in secondary breast surgery, facial surgery, and total body rejuvenation procedures. He is also a co-inventor of NekSpine, a commercially available neck and back exoskeleton designed for surgeons. His interest in surgical ergonomics grew from his own experience with the physical demands of operating and his collaboration with biomedical engineer Mr. Roger Malcolm. In This Episode, You'll Learn: How years of static, forward-leaning postures can affect surgeons over time. Dr. Kim's personal experience with changing posture and operating-related pain. How his conversations with biomedical engineer Roger Malcolm led to the idea for a surgical exoskeleton. What an exoskeleton is and how it can support the body during less-than-ideal working positions. The challenges involved in developing an exoskeleton specifically for surgeons. Why headaches became an important problem to solve during the early development of the device. How carbon fiber and other design changes contributed to the evolution of NekSpine. How the device provides support for the neck and lumbar region. The challenges of bringing an ergonomic innovation from an early prototype to a commercially available product. What research has examined the effects of NekSpine, including studies involving posture and muscle activity. Why exoskeletons should be viewed as one potential tool rather than a single solution to surgical ergonomics. Why introducing ergonomics and career longevity concepts earlier in surgical training may be important. Resources mentioned: You can learn more about NekSpine and special pricing for podcast listeners here:https://nekspine.com/nekspine-special... Articles evaluating NekSpine: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40201... https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41755...