Workshop at ISMR 2026

Surgical and Interventional Microrobotics: Current Frontiers and Future Directions

April 22, 2026, University of Tennessee Conference Center, Universityof Tennessee, Knoxville, USA

Organizers:

Xiaoguang Dong, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, US

Yue Chen, Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech/Emory Univeristy, US

Workshop introduction

This workshop aims to convene researchers across robotics, medicine, materials science, and control to address the foundational and translational challenges highlighted by the ARPA-H Autonomous Interventions and Robotics (AIR) program. In alignment with AIR’s vision, the workshop will focus on moving tethered and untethered microrobotics beyond isolated demonstrations of locomotion or sensing toward integrated, autonomous systems capable of performing clinically meaningful interventional and surgical tasks.

The workshop will provide a forum to identify critical barriers to interventional autonomy at small scales, including reliable navigation in complex anatomy, wireless power and actuation, closed-loop sensing and decision-making, safety-constrained autonomy, and system-level integration under clinical and regulatory constraints. Participants will share emerging solutions spanning novel tethered or untethered microrobot architectures, advanced fabrication and functional materials, learning-enabled control, and human–robot interaction strategies for supervision and fail-safe operation.

By bringing together roboticists, clinicians, and translational researchers, the workshop seeks to discuss recent advances in microrobotic intervention that is directly responsive to the objectives of the ARPA-H AIR program. The outcomes of the workshop will help catalyze new collaborations and accelerate the transition of microrobotic systems from laboratory prototypes to clinically actionable platforms for autonomous or semi-autonomous intervention and surgery.

Intended audience:

The workshop is intended for a broad, interdisciplinary audience engaged in microrobotics and medical robotics research. This includes researchers working on microrobots and miniature robotic systems with a focus on robot locomotion, wireless power transfer and charging, remote and in situ sensing, motion planning, control, and autonomy at small scales. The workshop will be particularly relevant to faculty members, postdoctoral researchers, and graduate students (PhD and MS) developing microrobotic platforms for surgical and interventional applications, as well as researchers seeking to translate fundamental microrobotics technologies into clinically actionable systems.

Invited Speakers

Jaydev Desai, PhD

Cardiovascular Biomedical Engineering Distinguished Chair

Director – Georgia Center for Medical Robotics (GCMR)

Medical Robotics and Automation (RoboMed) Laboratory

Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering

Georgia Tech, US

Jinxing Li, PhD

Red Cedar Distinguished Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering

Michigan State University, US

Yue Chen, PhD

Associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering

Georgia Tech/Emory University, US

Binbin Ying, PhD

Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering with a secondary appointment in the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine

UT Southwestern Medical Center, US

Robert J. Webster III, PhD

Senior Associate Provost for Commercialization and Technology Transfer

Richard A. Schroeder Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Professor of Mechanical Engineering

Professor of Electrical Engineering

Professor of Otolaryngology

Professor of Neurological Surgery

Professor of Urologic Surgery

Professor of Medicine

Vanderbilt University, US

Hakan Ceylan, PhD

Assistant Professor of Physiology and Biomedical Engineering

Mayo Clinic, Arizona, US

James Chandler, PhD

Royal Academy of Engineering, Leverhulme Trust Research Fellow

University of Leeds, UK

Schedule (tentative)

Speaker Biography and Talk Information

Biography: Robert J. Webster III is the Richard A. Schroeder Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Vanderbilt University. He received his B.S. in electrical engineering from Clemson University in 2002, and his M.S. and Ph.D. in mechanical engineering from the Johns Hopkins University in 2004 and 2007. In 2008, he joined the mechanical engineering faculty of Vanderbilt University, where he currently directs the Medical Engineering and Discovery Laboratory. He founded and serves on the steering committee for the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering, which brings together physicians and engineers to solve challenging clinical problems. He is the founder and President of Virtuoso Surgical, Inc. and EndoTheia, Inc. which are commercializing technologies invented in his laboratory. Prof. Webster's research interests include surgical robotics, medical device design, image-guided surgery, and continuum robotics. He is a recipient of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Early Career Award, the National Science Foundation CAREER award, the Robotics Science and Systems Early Career Spotlight Award, IEEE Volz award, and the award for Excellence in Teaching from Vanderbilt University. In addition to his primary appointment in Mechanical Engineering, he holds appointments at Vanderbilt in Electrical Engineering, Otolaryngology, Neurological Surgery, Urologic Surgery, and Medicine at Vanderbilt. Ten of his prior trainees are now in faculty positions.

Title: Toward Autonomous Tentacle-Like Robots: Lessons From ARPA-H Projects

Abstract: This talk will provide some lessons learned on working with ARPA-H on autonomy projects for small tethered (i.e. continuum) robots. We are automating surgery with concentric tube robots, and also exploring autonomous catheters. This talk will describe many of the things we have learned from a technical perspective on how to make such systems work and manage large-scale ARPA-H style autonomy projects.

Biography: Dr. Jaydev P. Desai is currently a Professor and Cardiovascular Biomedical Engineering Distinguished Chair in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory. Previously, he held one of the two inaugural G.P. “Bud” Peterson and Valerie H. Peterson Faculty Professorship in Pediatric Research. He is also the Senior Associate Chair and Associate Chair for Undergraduate studies in BME, Adjunct Professor in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering and George W. Woodruff School of Mechanical Engineering, and founding Director of the Georgia Center for Medical Robotics (GCMR). He completed his undergraduate studies from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India, in 1993. He received his MA in Mathematics in 1997 and MSE and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics in 1995 and 1998 respectively, all from the University of Pennsylvania. He was also a Post-Doctoral Fellow in the Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Harvard University.

Dr. Desai is a recipient of several NIH R01 grants, NSF CAREER award, and was the lead inventor on the “Outstanding Invention in the Physical Science Category” at the University of Maryland, College Park, where he was formerly employed. He has given numerous Keynote, Plenary, and other invited talks, including an invited talk at the National Academy of Sciences “Distinctive Voices” seminar series. He was also invited to attend the National Academy of Engineering’s U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium. Dr. Desai has provided tremendous service to the professional community including the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (RAS) and was recently an invited panel member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Panel on Assessment of Military Information Sciences. He is an author of over 225 peer-reviewed publications, 6 book chapters, is the founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Medical Robotics Research, former Senior Editor of IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, and Editor-in-Chief of the four-volume Encyclopedia of Medical Robotics. At the 2018 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), his seminal work in swarm robotics was the finalist for “IEEE RAS Award for the Most Influential Paper from ICRA 1998” (20-years impact). Dr. Desai recently received the 2024 IEEE RAS George Saridis Leadership Award in Robotics and Automation for his foundational work in medical robotics and swarm robotics as well as service to the IEEE RAS. He is also the recipient of the Ralph R. Teetor Educational Award and the 2021 IEEE RAS Distinguished Service Award. His research group has received several accolades including the best student paper award, best symposium paper award, cover image of IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering, and featured article in the IEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering. His current research interests are primarily in the areas of endovascular and transcatheter robotics, image-guided surgical robotics, MEMS-based cancer diagnosis, pediatric robotics, and rehabilitation and assistive robotics. He is a Fellow of the IEEE, ASME, and AIMBE and was recently announced as a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors (NAI).

Short Biography: Dr. Jaydev P. Desai is Professor and Cardiovascular Biomedical Engineering Distinguished Chair in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory, where he also serves as Senior Associate Chair and founding Director of the Georgia Center for Medical Robotics. He earned his undergraduate degree from IIT Bombay and his MA, MSE, and PhD from the University of Pennsylvania, followed by postdoctoral training at Harvard University.

An internationally recognized leader in medical robotics, Dr. Desai has received multiple NIH R01 grants, the NSF CAREER Award, the 2024 IEEE RAS George Saridis Leadership Award, and the 2021 IEEE RAS Distinguished Service Award. He has authored over 225 peer-reviewed publications and serves as founding Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Medical Robotics Research. His research focuses on endovascular and transcatheter robotics, image-guided surgical robotics, pediatric robotics, cancer diagnostics, and rehabilitation systems. He is a Fellow of IEEE, ASME, and AIMBE, and a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors.

Title: Robotically Steerable Guidewires - Challenges and Opportunities

Abstract: This talk will focus on the area of micro-scale robotic systems involving steerable guidewires. One of the primary requirements of an endovascular robotic system is to be able to successfully steer the guidewire towards the target location with minimal or no harm to the vessel. Neurovascular interventions as well as Chronic total occlusions (CTOs) remain the riskiest, most challenging, and least successful vascular lesions to treat with traditional endovascular devices. Procedural complexity in treating CTOs as well as the first pass effect in stroke are attributed to multiple causes. This talk will present our work on addressing the challenges in endovascular interventions using robotically steerable guidewires as well as the development of world’s smallest robotically steerable guidewire actuated by a micro-tendon (measuring only 350 microns (0.014”) in diameter) as a potential solution to these challenging clinical problems.

Biography: Dr. Hakan Ceylan is a biomedical engineer and Assistant Professor at Mayo Clinic, where he leads the Medical Microrobots Lab. His work focuses on translating small-scale robotic systems into clinically impactful technologies, bringing together materials science, robotics, and biomedical innovation.

Before joining Mayo Clinic, he trained at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems in Germany. Dr. Ceylan has authored over 40 publications in leading journals such as Science Robotics, Advanced Materials and ACS Nano, holds multiple patents, and has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including an American Heart Association Career Development Award and a recent NIH R01 from National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Title: Beyond Proof-of-Concept: Reimagining Medical Intervention with Untethered Microrobots

Abstract: Untethered microrobots hold transformative potential for minimally invasive intervention, yet their clinical translation remains limited by oceanic gaps between engineering innovation and real-world therapeutic needs. In this talk, I present a translational perspective centered on two application-driven platforms, Endobot and SealBot, that exemplify how unmet clinical needs can guide system design. Endobot targets precise navigation in complex luminal and vascular environments, addressing challenges for safe maneuverability in a living body. SealBot focuses on stable occlusions in hard-to-treat arterial aneurysms. Using these case studies, I will discuss how constraints such as anatomy, material biocompatibility, actuation limits, and procedural workflow define the boundaries of feasible design. I will further introduce a structured readiness framework to bridge proof-of-concept devices with clinically deployable systems, emphasizing value-centered innovation and early integration of clinical context. This perspective highlights a path toward scalable, safe, and impactful microrobotic interventions.

Biography: Jinxing Li is a Red Cedar Distinguished Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering at Michigan State University, where he has been a faculty member since 2021. He also holds adjunct appointments in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science. He earned his Ph.D. in NanoEngineering from the University of California, San Diego, in 2017, followed by a summer visiting scholarship at Nokia Bell Labs and three years of postdoctoral training at Stanford University. He received his M.S. from Fudan University and his B.S. from Huazhong University of Science and Technology, both in Electrical Engineering. His research integrates new biomaterials, bio-centered design, and precision manufacturing to develop bioelectronics and microrobotics that can advance precision and personalized healthcare. He is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award, the NIH NIBIB Trailblazer Award, the inaugural DOE ARPA-E IGNIITE Award, the Siebel Scholar in Bioengineering, the Dan David Scholarship, and has been named to the MIT Technology Review Innovators Under 35 Global List.

Title: From Rigid to Soft — Engineering Multifunctional Magnetic Microrobots for Biomedical Applications

Abstract: Microrobots offer transformative potential in drug delivery, diagnostics, and minimally invasive surgery, yet challenges in fabrication, deep-tissue imaging, and mechanical compliance remain. This talk presents two advances spanning a continuum from rigid functional microrobots to ultrasoft, adaptive systems. First, we introduce "TriMag" microrobots — 3D-printed helical hydrogel microrobots with integrated magnetic actuation, magnetic particle imaging (MPI), and hyperthermia. Embedding Fe₃O₄ and CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles via two-photon lithography enables controlled locomotion, sub-millimeter tracking in biological organs, and tumor ablation in vivo. Second, we briefly preview unpublished work on ultrasoft, hyperelastic hydrogel microrobots capable of diverse locomotion — swimming, crawling, and cargo transport — under programmable magnetic control, pushing the limits of shape morphing for minimally invasive applications. Together, these platforms define a new design continuum for next-generation adaptive microrobotic systems in biomedicine.

Biography: Binbin Ying is a tenure-track Assistant Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering with a secondary appointment in the Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Binbin received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University in 2021 and conducted research as a visiting Ph.D. scientist at the University of Toronto from 2018 to 2021. Before joining UT Southwestern, he was a Banting Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratories of Professors Giovanni Traverso and Robert Langer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Binbin’s research focuses on the development and clinical translation of soft medical devices to address critical unmet challenges in human health. He has authored more than 20 scientific publications, including over 10 first-author papers in leading journals such as Science Robotics (in press), Science Translational Medicine, Nature Communications, and Nature Reviews Materials, and holds several granted and pending patents. His work has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship, the NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship, and the Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-Financed Students Abroad.

Title: Bioinspired soft enteroscopic robot for locomotion, steering, and intervention in porcine intestine studies

Abstract: Diagnosing and treating small intestinal disorders such as bleeding, inflammatory bowel disease, and tumors presents challenges due to the difficulty of accessing this anatomical compartment. To address these challenges, we present BIOSENTER, a bioinspired soft enteroscopic robot, to facilitate deep small intestine procedures, overcoming the locomotion, steering, and intervention constraints of existing soft robotic systems. BIOSENTER features a hollow-cylinder architecture comprising a linearly deformable soft pneumatic actuator as the robotic body, two radially expandable soft pneumatic actuators wrapped with Kirigami sleeves as the head and tail, a central hollow channel for accessory endoscopic tools, and a control box for navigation. Inspired by snake locomotion in dynamic environments, the robotic body incorporates a fiber-reinforced actuator with four embedded inflatable chambers. This multi-component design allows for versatile movements, including steering and axial expansion. The dynamic Kirigami sleeves achieve clinically acceptable friction force of ~1.5N on intestinal mucosa with radial expansion while minimizing tissue distention. A reinforced central channel supports the passage of tools, facilitating diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. The control box supports efficient locomotion and steering, achieving autonomous speeds of ~100 mm/min in vitro, ~43 mm/min in tissue-covered tubing. The BIOSENTER robot successfully navigated the collapsed, tortuous small intestine over a distance of 2 meters within 11 minutes, with gentle forward pushing forces ranging from 2.2 to 6.4 N in pig studies. In vivo pig studies demonstrated BIOSENTER's potential for tissue biopsies, localized drug delivery, and real-time visualization in the deep intestinal region, without causing tissue overdistention and damage.

Biography: Dr. Yue Chen is an associate professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Tech/Emory University. He received his PhD degree in Mechanical Engineering from Vanderbilt University, master degree in Mechanical Engineering from Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and bachelor degree in Vehicle Engineering from Hunan University. His research focuses on the design, modeling, and control of continuum robots, with applications in medicine. Dr. Chen’s work has been recognized with several honors, including the ASME Rising Stars (2025), Best Early-Stage Innovation with Broad Clinical Application in iSPI (2025), Honorable Mention Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics Best Paper Award (2024), Best Student Paper Award at SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing (2023), Best Paper Finalist at ICARM (2023), and the Outstanding Fruit Publication Award from the American Society for Horticultural Science (2023). He is a recipient of the NSF CAREER Award, NIH C3i Program, Georgia Tech Jim Pope Fellowship, Sigma Xi Young Faculty Award, and the Class of 1969 Teaching Fellowship. He serves as an Associate Editor for IROS, ISMR, and IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters (RA-L). His research is supported by the NIH, NSF, and USDA NIFA.

Title: Tentacle-like Continuum Robot for MRI-guided Interventions

Abstract: Intelligent animals are able to safely interact with their environments, whether those environments are hard or soft, and over a wide range of geometries. Modern robots made from serially arranged rigid links lack the dexterity, safety, and adaptability of the biological system. Continuum robot is an effective approach to enable compliant interaction with external objects and dexterous manipulation within tightly packed environments by continuously deforming its structure. In this talk, I will discuss the development of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-compatible tentacle-like continuum robots and the applications of these robots for minimally invasive surgery.

Biography: Dr Chandler completed his Cancer Research UK (CRUK)-funded PhD in 2015 on the development of surgical sensing technology for intraoperative identification of colorectal cancer. In 2017, he joined the Science and Technologies of Robotics in Medicine (STORM) lab within the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Leeds as a postdoctoral research fellow, and in 2021 started his current role as Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Surgical Robotics. He is currently a Royal Academy of Engineering, Leverhulme Trust Research Fellow, and leads the Hybrid Soft and Continuum Robotics theme within the STORM lab, with projects focused on multi-modal soft and continuum robotic designs and functionalisation strategies for medical and surgical applications. His research aims to deliver improved approaches for diagnosis and treatment of disease deep within the body.

Title: Design of Soft and Continuum Medical Robotics across Actuation Modes

Abstract: Delivering devices for minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment presents substantial engineering challenges in access, navigation, and remote manipulation. Achieving the required dexterity, compliance, and scale has driven the adoption of compliant and adaptable soft and continuum robotics (SCR) approaches. By departing from traditional rigid robotics paradigms, SCRs introduce opportunities in design innovation, advanced materials, and actuation. In this talk, I will give an overview of our lab’s work on the design and development of SCRs for endoluminal applications. I will discuss approaches for novel design architectures and functional component integration that offer the potential to extend SCR capabilities. The talk aims to highlight the opportunities and challenges associated with delivering clinical impact with SCRs through design modularity and hybrid actuation.

Biography: Dr. Xiaoguang Dong is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Vanderbilt University. He is also a core member of the Vanderbilt Institute for Surgery and Engineering (VISE). He received his Ph.D. degree from the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University. Before joining Vanderbilt University in Jan. 2022, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems. He has received several awards including the incoming NSF CAREER Award, NIH Trailblazer Award, Med-X Young Investigator Award, and Rising Star Award of Advanced Materials Technologies. His group is working on the design, fabrication, and control of novel functional miniature robots and devices, for applications in personalized health care.

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