title: NeuRobot: telecontrolled micromanipulator system for minimally invasive microneurosurgery-preliminary results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Microneurosurgery can be performed less invasively with the recent advances in neuronavigation and neuroendoscopy. For even less invasive microneurosurgery, we have developed a telecontrolled micromanipulator system.
  
  
  METHODS
  The NeuRobot telecontrolled micromanipulator system was developed. With the use of this system, surgical simulations were performed with a human cadaveric head.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The system consists of four main parts, i.e., a micromanipulator (slave manipulator), a manipulator-supporting device, an operation-input device (master manipulator), and a three-dimensional display monitor. Three 1-mm forceps and a three-dimensional endoscope, which could be remotely controlled with three degrees of freedom (rotation, neck swinging, and forward/backward motion), were installed in the slave manipulator. All surgical procedures were accurately performed with this system.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of telecontrolled manipulator systems in neurosurgery is very promising, and we are convinced that this system will facilitate more accurate, less invasive microneurosurgery. The details of the NeuRobot system and preliminary results are presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Japan. khongo@hsp.md.shinshu-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazuhiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hongo
authors.forename: Shigeaki
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Yukinari
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kakizawa
authors.forename: Jun-Ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.forename: Tetsuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okudera
authors.forename: Kazutoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.forename: Masakatsu G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Fujie
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Iseki
authors.forename: Kintomo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takakura
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D004867:Equipment Design; D006257:Head / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008846:Micromanipulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012371:Robotics; D013523:Surgical Equipment; D013685:Telecommunications