MTU graduate develops surgical feedback prototype

Candela Cusnaider, a graduate mechanical engineer from Munster Technological University (MTU), has helped create TroSure, a prototype device that gives surgeons tactile feedback during laparoscopic procedures.

Growing up, Cusnaider dreamed of becoming an astronaut or pilot and was fascinated by astronomy, physics and maths. During the COVID‑19 lockdown she became interested in Formula 1 after watching “Drive to Survive”, which steered her towards mechanical engineering.

She attended an all‑girls secondary school where Leaving Cert options were limited to traditional subjects and did not include design and communication graphics or construction. Despite lacking practical workshop experience, she entered MTU and learned technical drawing and CAD from her peers.

In her third year at MTU, Cusnaider joined the TroSure project, inspired by her father, Conrado Cusnaider, a gynaecologist with a master’s in laparoscopy. The team built a proof‑of‑concept device that uses force and movement sensors, a buzzer and a small screen to alert surgeons when instruments pass through tissue, helping develop the tactile sense that can take years to master.

During her final year she refined the design, selected components, integrated electronics and tested the prototype, highlighting how mechanical engineering can improve healthcare processes.

She now works as a graduate engineer with Jones Engineering on phase two of an Eli Lilly project, focusing on quality assurance, documentation and cross‑disciplinary collaboration.

Source: Silicon Republic. Photo: Jakub Zerdzicki / Pexels.