A Compact Modular Teleoperated Robotic System for Laparoscopic Surgery

Compared with traditional open surgery, minimally invasive surgical procedures reduce patient trauma and recovery time, but the dexterity of the surgeon in laparoscopic surgery is reduced owing to the small incisions, long instruments and limited indirect visibility of the operative site inside the patient. Robotic surgical systems, teleoperated by surgeons from a master control console with joystick-type manipulation interfaces, have been commercially developed yet their adoption into standard practice may be limited owing to their size, complexity, cost and time-consuming setup, maintenance and sterilization procedures. The goal of our research is to improve the effectiveness of robot-assisted surgery by developing much smaller, simpler, modular, teleoperated robotic manipulator systems for minimally invasive surgery.