Smart Robotic Surgery

Skylar Strickler

My research focuses on medical robotics in complex surgeries. This field aims to create more intelligent surgical robots to help assist in surgeries. Some current research that I have found in relation to my topic includes image-guided robotic surgery. This relies on using a combination of different types of sensors to relay images and data in order to perform surgical procedures. Another research study I have found within my field was about minimally invasive robotic surgery that tries to create smaller robotic devices. One example of this is robotic machines that are created to be very precise and make clean cuts to ensure no unnecessary trauma is caused. Finally, one specific robot called the STAR performed surgery on a pig using sensors and cameras. Future work in this field includes fully automating the surgical process and making robots more perceptive by being able to react and adapt to the patients’ individual needs. I am continuing with Ingenuity’s Innovation Practicum and will be mentored by Dr. Axel Krieger, from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. I am hoping to gain research experience in the Intelligent Medical Robotic Systems and Equipment Lab (IMERSE), which specializes in creating intelligent surgical robotic systems and implementing augmented reality in surgery.