title: Supplementing the neurosurgical virtuoso: evolution of automation from mythology to operating room adjunct.
abstract: A central concept of scientific advancement in the medical and surgical fields is the incorporation of successful emerging ideas and technologies throughout the scope of human endeavors. The field of automation and robotics is a pivotal representation of this concept. Arising in the mythology of Homer, the concept of automation and robotics grew exponentially over the millennia to provide the substrate for a paradigm shift in the current and future practice of neurosurgery. We trace the growth of this field from the seminal concepts of Homer and Aristotle to early incorporation into neurosurgical practice. Resulting changes provide drastic and welcome advances in areas of visualization, haptics, acoustics, dexterity, tremor reduction, motion scaling, and surgical precision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA. Electronic address: attenell@usc.edu.
authors.forename: Frank J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Attenello
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Charles Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
authors.forename: Michael L J
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Apuzzo
mesh_terms: D001331:Automation / Q000266:history*; D049669:History, 16th Century; D049673:History, 20th Century; D049690:History, Ancient; D049691:History, Medieval; D006801:Humans; D009229:Mythology; D009493:Neurosurgery / Q000266:history*; D009688:Nuclear Reactors / Q000266:history; D009873:Operating Rooms / Q000266:history; D016634:Radiosurgery / Q000266:history*; D012371:Robotics / Q000266:history*; D013026:Space Flight / Q000266:history; D013523:Surgical Equipment / Q000266:history*
keywords: Adjunct; Automation; History; Radiosurgery; Robotics