DLR - Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics

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Medical Robotics

In the last decades robotics and mechatronics have found their way into many medical applications. Especially surgery has shown large potential for the use of robotic systems. The goal in medical robotics is thereby not to replace the surgeon by a robot, but to provide the surgeon with new treatment options to the benefit of the patient. Although this technology is still in its early stages, it will significantly change future surgery. The Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics contributes to this process by several research activities which reach from the development of a universal surgical robot and sensorized surgical instruments over advanced telemanipulation concepts to intraoperative autonomous functions and preoperative planning and registration.

Additionally, the DLR-Heart is an important topic of our research. This mechatronic heart is designed as a completely implantable assist device (VAD). For left ventricular assistance, it is connected to the left heart chamber and pumps blood back to the aorta using high pressure. For bi-ventricular assistance, each chamber of the device is connected to one ventricle of the native heart.

MiroSurge - Telemanipulation in minimally invasive surgery

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) challenges the surgeon’s skills due to his separation from the operation area which can be reached by long instruments only. To overcome the drawbacks of conventional MIS the DLR works on a research system for telrobotic endoscpic surgery.

MIRO - Versatile robot arm for surgical applications

The DLR MIRO is the second generation of versatile robot arms for surgical applications, developed at the Institute for Robotics and Mechatronics. With its low weight of 10 kg and dimensions similar to those of the human arm, the MIRO robot can assist the surgeon directly at the operating table where space is sparse.

MICA - Actuated and sensorized instruments

The DLR MICA is the second generation of DLR versatile instruments for minimally invasive surgery. MICA is a 3 degrees of freedom robot, which – in the MiroSurge system – represents additional joints of the lightweight telemanipulator MIRO. In the present configuration MICA is comprised of a drive unit, wrist, gripper and force/torque sensor, providing dexterity and force feedback for delicate surgical procedures.

Preoperative Planning and Registration

One key aspect necessary for a successful minimally invasive intervention is preoperative planning, done by the surgeon in order to prepare the intervention and to decide about the best access to the surgical site. In case of robotically assisted interventions the results of these decisions must be transferred also to the robotic equipment.

Motion Compensation in Heart Surgery

Motion compensation is a highly desired functionality in minimally invasive beating heart surgery. Before motion compensation in beating heart surgery can be performed, organ motion arising from the patient's respiration or heart beat has to be coped with. Therefore, the reliable measurement of this motion is an essential part of an advanced minimally invasive robotic surgery system.

Robot-assisted endoscope guidance

During manual laparoscopic interventions, the surgeon does not have direct visual control of the operating field as in open surgery, but orientates himself by the laparoscopic image displayed on a monitor. It is the task of an assistant to guide the laparoscope such that the field of view is optimal for the surgeon.

DLR-Herz

Vision und Ziel des implantierbaren DLR-Herzens ist die langfristige Unterstützung von Menschen mit schwerer Herzinsuffizienz, für die bislang nur eingeschränkte Therapiemöglichkeiten zur Verfügung stehen.

	Funded Projects The research in the area of medical robotics is supported within the following Bavarian and national funded projects. This support is gratefully acknowledged.
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	Selected Publications
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Funded Projects

Selected Publications