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Published on: January 6, 2023
System design of a hand-held mobile robot for craniotomy
Gavin Kane1, Georg Eggers, Robert Boesecke
1Klinik und Poliklinik für Mund-, Kiefer, und Gesichtschirurgie, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
Summary
The Craniostar, a novel mobile robot system for surgical craniotomy, offers sub-millimetre accuracy and reduced risk compared to current robotic systems. This hand-held device enables precise surgical planning transfer without the bulk of industrial robots.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Neurosurgery
- Medical Devices
Background:
- Current robotic systems for craniotomy are often based on large industrial robots, posing significant challenges in terms of size, cost, and operating room integration.
- Existing robotic approaches may carry substantial risks and lack the precision required for accurate surgical plan execution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and evaluate the Craniostar, a novel mobile robot system designed for surgical craniotomy.
- To assess the Craniostar's positioning accuracy, safety profile, and potential to improve the transfer of pre-surgical plans into operating room procedures.
Main Methods:
- Development of a unicycle-based kinematic system for local positioning using spiked wheels for skull fixation.
- Implementation of a shared control system allowing collaboration between the surgeon and the robot.
- Initial testing on plastic phantom and swine skulls to evaluate system performance.
Main Results:
- The Craniostar system demonstrated sub-millimetre accuracy in trajectory tracking.
- Initial tests indicated a substantially lower risk profile compared to existing robotically assisted craniotomies.
- The hand-held mobile design proved effective in achieving accurate surgical plan execution.
Conclusions:
- The Craniostar represents a significant advancement in robotic-assisted surgery for craniotomy, offering high precision and enhanced safety.
- Its compact, hand-held design overcomes the limitations of larger, industrial robot-based systems.
- The Craniostar shows promise for improving the accuracy and safety of neurosurgical procedures.

