Flexible optical fiber offers improved larynx surgeries.

The article focuses on recent technological advances in photonic quantum computing and medical laser surgery. It reports that QuiX Quantum, a Netherlands-based company, has demonstrated below-threshold error mitigation on a photonic quantum computer, marking a first for European quantum industry by achieving scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computing error control. Separately, researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) have developed a flexible, steerable optical fiber designed to improve laser-based larynx surgeries by enabling outpatient treatment of hard-to-reach vocal fold tumors via endoscopes. Tests on a 3D-printed human larynx model showed the device could access 81% of previously unreachable targets, potentially expanding treatment options for patients unable to undergo general anesthesia, though further development is needed for clinical use.