Medical telerobotic systems: current status and future trends

Abstract

Teleoperated medical robotic systems allow procedures such as surgeries, treatments, and diagnoses to be conducted across short or long distances while utilizing wired and/or wireless communication networks. This study presents a systematic review of the relevant literature between the years 2004 and 2015, focusing on medical teleoperated robotic systems which have witnessed tremendous growth over the examined period. A thorough insight of telerobotics systems discussing design concepts, enabling technologies (namely robotic manipulation, telecommunications, and vision systems), and potential applications in clinical practice is provided, while existing limitations and future trends are also highlighted. A representative paradigm of the short-distance case is the da Vinci Surgical System which is described in order to highlight relevant issues. The long-distance telerobotics concept is exemplified through a case study on diagnostic ultrasound scanning. Moreover, the present review provides a classification into short- and long-distance telerobotic systems, depending on the distance from which they are operated. Telerobotic systems are further categorized with respect to their application field. For the reviewed systems are also examined their engineering characteristics and the employed robotics technology. The current status of the field, its significance, the potential, as well as the challenges that lie ahead are thoroughly discussed.

Introductory Chapter: Telemedicine

“…Current applications have advanced to the point that in addition to physicians monitoring patients remotely there are artificial intelligence systems using smartphones and wearable applications to monitor patient health [3]. Not only does telemedicine allow advanced verbal communication between physicians and patients, it also enables physicians to conduct a physical exam of patients remotely and to even conduct surgery over long distances using telerobotic systems [4].…”

The Surgical Robot: Applications and Advantages in General Surgery

“…It consists of an ergonomic console unit ("master interface") that includes a display system, the surgeon's user interface and the controller, and a second unit that includes the endo-wristed instruments and the endoscopic camera that execute the tasks as the "slave manipulator." Its application in all fields of General Surgery has been documented extensively, although, initially, it was created to satisfy the minimally invasive needs of cardiothoracic surgeons and urologists, and later on, gynecologists [6].…”

Current applications and future perspectives of robotics in cerebrovascular and endovascular neurosurgery

“…The surgeon provides real time input to a command console, usually through a force feedback joystick (master), while the surgical manipulator executes the actions faithfully (slave). The widely used da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Sunnyvale, California, USA) is a current paradigm for teleoperated systems 11. Finally, in shared control systems, such as the Steady Hand Eye Robot (CIIS Laboratory, Baltimore, Maryland, USA), the surgeon shares control of the surgical instrument with the robot.…”