Mechatronics and Robotics

Focus areas are the development of mechatronic devices and robotics for medical applications. This includes synergistic devices such as mechatronic transport aids and "smart instruments". These are intelligent mechatronic instruments to assist the surgeon. Integrated miniaturized sensors and actuators help to intraoperatively identify important parameters and to optimize the therapeutic process. Robotics enhance surgeons abilities for an optimized surgical process control and telemanipulation tasks.

Current Projects

3D Robotic Ultrasound
Artificial Intelligence in Medical Robots
Haptic Guidance for Robotic Surgery
Modular Design of Surgical Robots
SEBARES - Self balancing rescue aid
SIKASurg - Scenario-based interaction and cooperation patterns of sensorimotor assistance systems for synergistic surgical robots

Former Projects

SteriRob - Sensor system for the Identification and Handling of sterile surgical instruments (03/2019 - 08/2022)
ALLEGRO (11/2016 - 10/2018)
SICOSI - Smart Impedance Controlled Osteotomy Instrumentation (06/2014 - 05/2016)
OR.NET - Secure Dynamic Networking in the Operating Room and Clinic (9/2012 - 8/2015)
ICOS – Impedance Controlled Surgical Instrumentation (8/2010 - 8/2013)
INKA - Integrated workstation for head surgery (3/2010 - 12/2012)
SensoPaL - Sensor-integrated Patient Support (1/2010 - 12/2012)
SpinePilot - Sensor-integrated precision instrument for minimally invasive computer-assisted spine surgery (3/2010 - 12/2012)
genALIGN^M - Implementation and Evaluation of a novel Instrument for minimal-invasive Total Knee Arthroplasty (4/2009 - 6/2011)
smartCUT - Implementation of a sensor-integrated processing instrument for minimally invasive surgery (4/2009 - 6/2011)
OrthoMIT - Technical innovations for minimal invasive orthopaedic therapy (2005 - 2011)
OrthoMIT Subproject 11 - Miniaturized Sensors, Instruments and Robotics
STS - Development of a Smart Trepanation System (7/2008 - 6/2010)
CRANIO - Robot-assisted Craniotomy with and without individual prefabricated implant (12/2001 - 06/2009)
MINARO - Minimally invasive navigation- and robot-assisted revision hip arthroplasty based on multimodal intraoperative geometry acquisition (12/2001 - 12/2006)
MINOP II - Combined endo- and microscope manipulator system for image guided operations (10/2001 - 9/2004)
Piezo-TEN - Semiautomatic camera holding system for laparoscopic surgery (1996 - 2002)
PAROMIS - Parallel robot for voice controlled camera guidance in MIS (7/2000 - 6/2001)
CRIGOS - Compact Robot for Image Guided Orthopaedic Surgery (08/1997 - 01/2001)

Equipment

Software development (MATLAB, Simulink, C, C++, etc.)
Various software-libraries for the integration of different hardware (e.g. optical tracking, robotics, etc.)
PCB Design (Altium Software)
Several stationary and mobile Real-Time-Control Systems (e.g. dSPACE, QUARC, RTLinux)
Optical tracking devices (NDI, Atracsys)
Manifold force measurement systems (1D, 3D, 6D)
Haptic input and feedback devices (e.g. Force Dimension Omega 6, Phantom 6D highforce, Phantom Omni)
Collaborative Robotics (e.g. Franka Emika Panda)
Laboratory as a development and test environment for mechatronic systems
Several Rapid Prototyping Platforms (FDM, PolyJet Modelling, SLM)
Central Workshop for mechanical manufacturing