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Updated: Apr 18, 2026
Design and Implementation of a Bespoke Robotic Manipulator for Extra-corporeal Ultrasound
Published on: January 7, 2019
Development and preliminary assessment of a robotic platform for neuroendoscopy based on a lightweight robot
Marta Niccolini1, Virginia Castelli1, Costanza Diversi1
1Center for Micro-BioRobotics@SSSA, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Rinaldo Piaggio 34, 56025, Pontedera, Italy.
Background:
Ventriculostomy is a widely performed neurosurgical procedure; some risk factors can be mitigated by computer/robot-assisted approaches. Platforms fostering synergistic robot-surgeon integration are pursued, for which lightweight robots with compliant controlled joints must be assessed (because compliance hampers accuracy).
Methods:
We developed a platform encompassing, in particular, a lightweight robot and an optical tracker also used to enhance robot accuracy. Based on specifications by neurosurgeons, we designed a neuroendoscope-handling interface and assessed targeting accuracy in a model ventriculostomy where the robot was operated both autonomously and in hands-on (i.e. co-operative) mode.
Results:
Targeting errors were systematically below the procedure accuracy threshold (1 mm); the rms targeting errors were 0.51 and 0.54 mm for autonomous and hands-on control, respectively. No significant difference was observed between the considered control modes. Very positive feedback was gathered from neurosurgeons.
Conclusions:
Accurate tool targeting under both autonomous and hands-on control was achieved.
