Industrial Opportunities and Socio-Economic Impact of Medical Robotics

Abstract

The “Industrial Opportunities and Socio-Economic Impact of Medical Robotics” forum will bring together researchers, innovators, startup founders, and entrepreneurs across the medical robotics domain to share experiences, knowledge, and inspiration. The event will be designed to foster a collaborative environment where participants can engage in meaningful exchanges and explore the multifaceted dimensions of medical robotics. The forum aims to facilitate a comprehensive dialogue on the key challenges, research gaps, and issues currently hindering medical robotics full-scale commercialisation. By providing a “platform” for in-depth discussions, the event will present the technical and clinical challenges and address regulatory, ethical, and economic considerations that impact the development and deployment of these advanced technologies. These discussions will delve into the complexities of navigating regulatory landscapes, ensuring ethical compliance, and managing the economic factors of bringing medical robotics from the research laboratory to the clinical setting. In addition to exploring the scientific and technical aspects, the forum will emphasise the industrial opportunities that medical robotics presents. Participants will have the chance to meet and discuss with researchers, startups, and pioneering companies driving innovation in this field. This interaction will foster a better understanding of the medical market dynamics, investment potential, and future trends, offering valuable insights for future entrepreneurs and stakeholders. Through selected keynote speeches and a roundtable, attendees will gain exposure to cutting-edge developments and innovative models shaping the medical robotics future. Moreover, the forum will address the broader socio-economic impact of medical robotics. During the roundtable, discussions will cover how these technologies can enhance healthcare delivery, improve patient outcomes, and contribute to the overall efficiency of medical services. The socio-economic benefits, such as job creation, skill development, and the potential for global health improvements, will be a focal point, underscoring the far-reaching implications of advancements in the medical field. The roundtable will also provide a unique opportunity for participants to engage with scientists and industry experts, exchanging ideas on maximising medical robotics's positive impact on society. The event aims to illustrate the transformative potential of medical robotics, demonstrating how these technologies can lead to a paradigm shift in healthcare. Finally, the forum will also highlight success stories and case studies that showcase the tangible benefits of medical robotics in real-world settings, providing inspiration and practical insights for attendees.

Organizers

Cesare Stefanini

Director, The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna

Cesare Stefanini is the Director of the BioRobotics Institute at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna in Pontedera, Italy, where he also leads the Creative Engineering Design Lab. He holds a Ph.D. in Microengineering and an M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from SSSA, both with honors. Dr. Stefanini’s research spans robotics, bioinspired systems, and mechatronics, with applications in environmental, medical, and industrial fields. He has received international recognition for his work on microrobot actuators and has held visiting positions at Stanford University. He is the principal investigator of multiple international research projects, author of over 180 scientific publications, and inventor of 17 patents, many licensed by global companies such as Amazon and General Electric.

Gastone Ciuti

Associate Professor of Bioengineering, The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna

Gastone Ciuti is an Associate Professor of Bioengineering at the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, where he leads the Healthcare Mechatronics Laboratory. He holds a master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Pisa (2008) and a Ph.D. in Biorobotics from The BioRobotics Institute of Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna (2011). With over 115 peer-reviewed publications and more than 20 patents, his research focuses on computer-integrated platforms for medical robotics, especially in autonomous magnetic-based robotic systems for minimally invasive surgery. He has held visiting positions at Sorbonne University, the Beijing Institute of Technology, and other leading institutions. He is also an Associate Editor for several IEEE journals and a Senior Member of the IEEE society.

Invited Talks

Giuseppe Fico

Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Giuseppe Fico is an Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) and Coordinator of the Health Area at the Life Supporting Technologies Group. He serves as Secretary General of the European Alliance of Medical and Biological Engineering and has held leadership roles in multiple European initiatives related to health innovation, including AI, IoT, and robotics. As a Technical Manager of large-scale EC-funded projects like ODIN, GATEKEEPER, and ACTIVAGE, Giuseppe focuses on applying cutting-edge technology to healthcare. A key part of Giuseppe Fico's work is his involvement in the Smart House Living Lab at UPM’s Center for Experimental Research in Applications and Ambient Intelligence (CIAmI). Giuseppe Fico is also an active lecturer, editor, and contributor to professional organizations in biomedical engineering.

Agostino Stilli

Associate Professor of Medical and Soft Robotics, UCL Hawkes Institute

Dr. Agostino Stilli is an Associate Professor of Medical and Soft Robotics at the UCL Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering. He is the Co-Investigator for Robotics in the Surgical Robot Vision (SRV) research group (Group PI Prof. Dan Stoyanov), a Rosetrees Enterprise Fellow, Departmental Lead for Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering in the UCL Robotics Institute, and a member of the UCL Hawkes Institute. His research focuses on soft robotics for minimally invasive surgery and medical imaging, with an emphasis on safe human-robot interaction. Dr. Stilli has also contributed to several European Commission-funded projects, including FP7 SQUIRREL, FP7 STIFF-FLOP, and H2020 FourByThree.

Mario Milazzo

Senior Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pisa

Mario Milazzo is Senior Assistant Professor of "Materials Science and Engineering" the University of Pisa, Italy. He holds a Ph.D. in BioRobotics from Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna and a M.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from University of Pisa, both with honors. His research interests spans materials science and technology, multiscale modeling, advanced fabrication, mechatronics, and industrial robotics. His research activity has received international recognition with prestigious fellowships, including the individual Marie Skłodowska Curie fellowship in collaboration with Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA), and the Fulbright fellowship. He is the co-author of 50+ contributions in international journals, and inventor of 9 patents. In parallel with his academic activities, he has been involved, both as Project Manager and Team Leader, in various projects and collaborations with national and international companies (e.g., Baker Hughes, Brembo, Magneti Marelli, Piaggio).

Andrea Mariani

Chief Executive Officer at Soundsafe Care Srl

Andrea Mariani is the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of Soundsafe Care Srl, a startup company dealing with medical devices for non-invasive surgery by robotics and ultrasound. He obtained his PhD with Hons. in BioRobotics at Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna (Pisa, Italy). His research focused on simulation-based augmented training for robot assisted surgery and therapeutic ultrasound technologies. He worked as visiting research scientist at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, US) and University College of London (London, UK). He has been involved in several international projects, winning the 2020 KUKA innovation award, and the best innovation and best application awards at the Hamlyn Surgical Robot Challenge in 2021. He has been awarded the Paolo Durst Award - Microtec for the best Italian PhD thesis in 2023.

Francesco Ferro

Chief Executive Officer of PAL Robotics S.L.

Francesco Ferro is the Chief Executive Officer of PAL Robotics, with extensive experience in the industrial automation industry. He is skilled in event planning, computer science, C++, artificial intelligence, and embedded systems. Francesco is a strong business development professional with an Executive MBA from IL3 - Universitat de Barcelona. Since 2004, he has led the development of advanced robotic solutions at PAL Robotics, focusing on addressing customer needs. Notable projects include REEM-C and TALOS, humanoid biped robots for research; TIAGo Base, an autonomous mobile robot for logistics; StockBot, a retail inventory and data-collection solution; TIAGo, a versatile humanoid robot for perception, navigation, and human-robot interaction; and ARI, the company’s latest innovation.

Roundtable

Andrea Bertolini

Associate Professor, Dirpolis Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna

Andrea Bertolini is an Associate Professor of Private Law at the Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna and an adjunct professor at the University of Pisa. His research focuses on private law (contracts, torts, and obligations), technology regulation (robotics and AI), and bioethics. Since 2015, he has been the coordinator of the SIR project ‘RELIABLE’, and the Jean Monnet Module ‘Europe Regulates Robotics’. He is the scientific coordinator for the WP on ‘Liability and Risk Management’ in robotic applications (Horizon 2020 project INBOTS). He frequently advises international organizations, such as the European Parliament, the European Commission, the German Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, and the World Economic Forum. He holds law degrees from SSSA and Yale and is licensed to practice in Italy and New York.

Paolo Fiorini

Full Professor, University of Verona

Paolo Fiorini is a Full Professor of Computer Science at the University of Verona, Italy. His research focuses on automation and robotics, particularly in unconventional areas such as medicine, surgery, and remote control of physical devices. He focuses on medical robotics, including robotic surgery, where he has developed new algorithms and a surgical robot through his startup. Paolo Fiorini's industry involvement extends to applying robotics concepts to industrial automation, strongly emphasising safety and cybersecurity. He has leveraged the rise of IoT and Industry 4.0 to enhance these applications. Recently, Paolo Fiorini secured European funding to advance autonomous robotic surgery, utilizing big data and machine learning to create adaptable, intelligent systems for various fields.

Program

IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems

14 - 18 October 2024

The next generation of sustainable robotics

About us

The Biorobotics Institute of Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies

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