Next Generation of Continuum Robotics – Translation from Research to Clinical Application

Date: Wednesday, 28th June; Morning

Workshop Aims

Continuum robotics such as concentric tubes, multi-backbone and soft structures have evolved from a niche area to one that has been extensively researched. The structure and flexibility of continuum robots has generated interest among clinicians in potential medical applications. For example, concentric tube robots (CTR) have the unique ability to traverse torturous and complex anatomical paths while maintaining a sufficient level of rigidity for performing tissue manipulation. Unlike traditional serial pin-jointed robotic mechanisms, the structural nature of CTRs allow them to be easily miniaturized which makes them well suited for minimally invasive and single port surgical applications such as neuro-endoscopy, ureteroscopy and thoracic surgery. The fundamentals of the kinematics and dynamics for various continuum systems have also been well studied yet there is no commercially available system. The purpose of this workshop is to develop a working list of clinical opportunities, technical requirements and regulatory challenges for translating continuum robotics to use. It is designed an interactive workshop between researchers, engineers and clinicians to brainstorm about the different areas and identify barriers to using continuum robots in a clinical setting. The result of the workshop will be to create a list of milestones that need to be solved while also serving to build bridges between the clinical, engineering and regulatory worlds.

Topics to be covered

Key themes of this workshop will include:

• Clinical applications/needs
  • Cardiac
  • General/Thoracic surgery
  • Neurosurgery
  • Otolaryngology
  • Plastic surgery
  • Urology
• Technology development and limitations
  • Actuation mechanisms
  • Tool body and tool tip designs
  • Surgical tool path planning and navigation
  • Pre-clinical testing

Organisers

• Thomas Looi, Hospital for Sick Children
• James Drake, Hospital for Sick Children

Schedule

Location

Royal Geographical Society, 
1 Kensington Gore, 
London, 
SW7 2AR
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