This is one project that I have actualy spent alot of time thinking about and have built some prototypes that I am now testing on cow hearts .I just recently came up with several more variations .Without giving away too much I'll just say it uses some new techniques so that a blockage can be bypassed while the heart is still beating and no life support or chest cutting is neccessary .Even vessels too small to stitch together .Imagine ,the whole procedure taking less than 20 minutes .The version pictured below is an earlier design and a bit clunky but the newer designs are not much larger than the vessel itself .Anyone interested in funding this ? brooks@robotgroup.org

http://www.robotgroup.net/brooks/bypass_tool.jpg