New therapies, such as cell implants, will in future require teleoperators capable of repeatable positioning accuracy of 10µm and better. This paper describes the design of a Stewart platform (hexapod robot system) which can be used for precision microsurgery in a number of different medical disciplines. The system design is discussed in detail and an overview of potential applications is given. Also, results are reported on the application in neuroendoscopy

At Fraunhofer IPA various adhesive grippers have been developed. The gripper's main features are high flexibility regarding shape, size and material of the units handled. Furthermore adhesive gripping provides a very accurate centring effect as well as a compliance effect.

This paper describes a test prototype for precision robot-assisted surgery using a hexapod operating robot and a movable operating cockpit for tactile feedback. The objective of the work described is twofold: 1, to evaluate the use of hexapod robots for precisely manipulating endoscopes and surgical instruments in submillimeter surgery; 2, to test a new user interface concept based on tactile feedback. Based on the principle of a flight simulator, the aim is to give the surgeon motion cues in addition to the endoscope image, to assist his spatial orientation. The paper gives a detailed description of the system components and the potential applications.

The better understanding of the systems of the human body and their specific functions has led to minimally invasive and microsurgical procedures being carried out on an ever smaller scale. New therapies will require precision of 10 microm or better, which will only be achievable with robotic teleoperators. Experience with existing robot-assisted surgery systems shows that the human-machine interface is a critical component for acceptance of this technology, but no universally satisfactory interface has yet been found. Therefore, this article investigates a new concept based on kinesthetic motion feedback and presents details of the implementation of a first prototype.

The better understanding of the systems of the human body and their specific functions has led to minimally invasive and microsurgical procedures being carried out on an ever smaller scale. New therapies will require precision of 10 microm or better, which will only be achievable with robotic teleoperators. Experience with existing robot-assisted surgery systems shows that the human-machine interface is a critical component for acceptance of this technology, but no universally satisfactory interface has yet been found. Therefore, this article investigates a new concept based on kinesthetic motion feedback and presents details of the implementation of a first prototype.