MODEL RELEASED. Cornea-harvesting robot. Prototype cornea harvesting system removing the cornea from a pig's eye. The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped layer that covers the front of the eye. Cornea transplant surgery may be necessary due to a variety of conditions that can damage or scar the cornea, making it cloudy and impairing vision. The procedure involves removing a central portion of the cornea from a deceased donor and suturing it onto the recipient's eye in place of the diseased tissue. The robot is part of research into automating difficult surgical procedures. Photographed at INSA (Institut National des Sciences Appliquees), Lyon, France.