SKINlapZ is a proof-of-concept product to make laser tattoo removal a robotic system. The state of the art entails a licensed provider guiding a specialized laser by hand at a fixed height over the patient's tattoo in a procedure that is expensive and generally not covered by insurance. SKINlapZ allows one licensed provider to supervise a comparable or better procedure on multiple patients, providing economies of scale to reduce the cost and improve patient access while increasing throughput for licensed providers.
Using a simulated tattooed human limb, SKINlapZ emulates the by-hand procedure. The body part is firmly affixed in the robot workspace and a digital image is taken of the tattooed area. Image processing software determines pixel coordinates of pigmented vs. non-pigmented regions, and since the limb is affixed throughout the process, these data are readily translated into distance coordinates in the physical workspace of the robot. In addition to precise instrument calibration, closed-loop control uses positional feedback as the robot moves in sequence to pigmented regions of the simulated tattoo. Upon reaching each respective region, the robot adjusts the height of the simulated medical laser lens above the surface to ensure the correct amount of laser energy is being delivered for the prescribed amount of time.
SKINlapZTM is a patent pending technology which holds great potential to revolutionize a fairly common, yet very costly cosmetic medical procedure for laser tattoo removal. SKINlapZ is scalable to a variety of body parts with the same basic process to yield predictable results to help reduce the number of sessions required and provide further costs savings and throughput enhancement. SKINlapZ is a patent pending technology with the potential to improve a fairly common, yet costly cosmetic procedure.