title: Combined endo- and exoscopic semi-robotic manipulator system for image guided operations.
abstract: This paper describes the development of a robotic assistance system for image guided operations. To minimize operation time, a multimodal user interface enables freehand robotic manipulation of an extracorporeal stereoscopic digital camera (exoscope) and an endoscope. The surgeon thereby wears a head-mounted unit with a binocular display, a head tracker, a microphone and earphones. Different view positioning and adjustment modes can be selected by voice and controlled by head rotation while pressing a miniature confirmation button with a finger. Initial studies focused on the evaluation and optimization of the intuitiveness, comfort and precision of different modes of operation, including a user test with neurosurgeons in a virtual reality simulation. The first labtype of the system was then implemented and demonstrated in the operating room on a phantom together with the clinical partners.
authors.affiliation: Helmholtz Institute for Biomedical Engineering of the RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 20, 52074 Aachen, Germany. serefoglou@hia.rwth-aachen.de
authors.forename: Stefanos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Serefoglou
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Lauer
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perneczky
authors.forename: Theodor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lutze
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Radermacher
mesh_terms: D019723:Endoscopes; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012371:Robotics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D018511:Systems Integration