Name-Our-Robot Winner Announced
Meet “Spiritus,” the new state-of-the-art Monarch robotic bronchoscopy platform that is helping NorthBay Health diagnose early stage lung cancer in high-risk patients.
Spiritus got its new name after readers participated in a name-the-robot contest. Chris Corley, R.N., an emergency room nurse at NorthBay Health Medical Center, submitted the winning name and earned a $50 Amazon gift card for her effort.
Chris was thrilled to learn she won and said she came up with the name Spiritus after researching different breathing-related words in different languages, including Latin, common in medical terminology. “Since this will be helping patients with their breathing issues, I figured it was appropriate – and it sounded regal.”
Judging the contest were NorthBay Pulmonologist Karan Julka, M.D.; Leslie Schrader, R.N., a nurse in endoscopic services; Jessica Devin, clinic supervisor; and Susan Seaborne, practice manager in specialty services. Their decision was made using a blind ballot — the suggested names were all submitted to the judges without indicating who submitted them and then the judges narrowed down their selections until it became clear that Spiritus was their final selection.
Dr. Julka said the name fits perfectly with the mission of the robot. “Spiritus in Latin refers to Spirit and Breathing. With Monarch we aim to lift the patient’s spirit and breathing,” he said.
Selecting the winner was no small task. There were 100 names submitted by community members and staff — including “some amazingly creative” suggestions, noted Dr. Julka.
How creative? Well, one other name that was high on several judge’s lists was OMRIN, which Vacaville resident Jeanne Bogard submitted, explaining that it was an acronym for “Our Monarch Reaches Inaccessible Nodules.” That’s literally the function of the robot. The Monarch utilizes a familiar controller-like interface that resembles a video game controller and allows physicians to navigate the flexible robotic endoscope to the periphery of the lung with improved reach, vision and control. It combines traditional endoscopic views into the lung with computer-assisted navigation.
Humor was present in many of the submissions as well: Like Seymour (as in, see more); Broncho the Spy-Eye; and Scopey McScopeface!
Spiritus wasn’t the only name suggestion that leaned on a language other than English. There was Haleine (French for Breath), Leita (Icelandic for looking, seeing, seeking, searching) and Mariposa (Spanish for butterfly).
Many people played with the Monarch name’s association with a butterfly, including Chrysalis (the form a caterpillar takes before it emerges as a fully formed butterfly), Beatrice in the Butterfly, Blue Morpho (a type of butterfly), and Carl or Linnaeus (for the Swedish botonist Carl Linnaeus who first published a description of the Monarch butterfly in 1758, explained one knowledgeable entrant).
Congratulations to Chris Corley, and thanks to our readership for participating!
Why is it important that NorthBay Health has added new advanced technology to help screen for lung cancer?
Spiritus, NorthBay’s new Monarch robotic bronchoscopy platform, brings with it the promise of identifying previously unreachable cancerous nodes in the remote areas of the lungs. Our clinical collaborators at Mayo Clinic explain in this Mayo Clinic Minute that along with quitting smoking, early detection is the key to finding and successfully treating lung cancer.
Learn more about the Monarch and how it's being used to diagnose lung cancer early. Learn more about our Pulmonolgy services at NorthBay Health. To make an appointment with NorthBay Pulmonology, ask your primary physician for a referral.
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