The Surgical Robotics Lab designs custom flexible robotic platforms that navigate confined anatomical pathways using magnetic, pneumatic, or tendon‑driven actuation. Its systems integrate real‑time ultrasound, CT, or MRI guidance with closed‑loop visual servoing, and the lab provides end‑to‑end development and licensing of proprietary actuation and control technologies for medical‑device manufacturers and research institutions.
Funding
Funding not disclosed
Founders
Product
Problem
Surgeons and device developers often lack tools that can safely reach confined or tortuous anatomical locations, limiting the adoption of truly minimally invasive procedures at both macro and micro scales. Existing robotic platforms are typically bulky, single‑purpose, and not adaptable to emerging clinical imaging modalities.
Solution
The Surgical Robotics Lab engineers custom robotic platforms capable of navigating to hard‑to‑reach sites within the body. By combining flexible instrument architectures with magnetic, pneumatic, or tendon‑driven actuation, the lab creates systems that operate from the operating‑room scale down to microrobotic dimensions. Integrated control algorithms synchronize robot motion with real‑time ultrasound, CT, or MRI guidance, enabling precise, image‑based navigation. The lab offers end‑to‑end technology development—including concept design, rapid prototyping, benchtop validation, and pre‑clinical testing—to accelerate translation for medical‑device manufacturers and research partners. Proprietary actuation and control techniques are made available through licensing agreements, allowing partners to embed advanced capabilities into their own product lines.
Target Audience
Primary customers are medical‑device manufacturers and academic or industry research institutions developing next‑generation minimally invasive surgical tools and microrobotic therapies.
Features
- Flexible, continuum‑type instruments and microrobots engineered for navigation through narrow lumens and vascular networks
- Multi‑modal imaging integration (ultrasound, CT, MRI) with closed‑loop visual servoing for real‑time trajectory correction
- Magnetic and tendon‑driven actuation schemes optimized for sub‑millimeter precision and low power consumption
- Modular hardware platform supporting rapid reconfiguration of end‑effectors and sensor payloads
- In‑house simulation and validation pipeline, including finite‑element modeling, hardware‑in‑the‑loop testing, and pre‑clinical animal studies
- Intellectual property portfolio of proprietary actuation and control algorithms available for licensing
- Collaborative R&D service model that includes design reviews, regulatory strategy support, and technology transfer documentation
- Compliance‑focused development workflow adhering to ISO 13485 and IEC 60601 standards for medical devices