MEDICA DEEP DIVE: Robots in the OR: flexible, precise, tireless

As Business Development Manager at KUKA Deutschland GmbH, Dr. Andreas Keibel knows what is possible from a manufacturer's perspective. "What we are seeing is a paradigm shift toward more intervention planning. Doctors can plan and perform their interventions based on 3D images – not yet at home, but perhaps in the future from the home office. They'll already have a detailed idea of what the procedure will look like on the patient, and they can use that knowledge in the OR the very next day."

But Keibel says another paradigm shift is already overdue – and it involves not just robots in the OR, but throughout the hospital. "Currently, it's difficult to maintain the level of healthcare. Robots can help by supporting medical staff and patients."

Prof. Dr. Dirk Wilhelm shares this view, but also points out that current robots still lack autonomy. That's where algorithms and machine learning come into play. However, Prof. Dr. Wilhelm warns: "It's important to note: These algorithms, we have trained so far do not provide an accuracy of 100 percent. But when it comes to patient treatment or to navigate in a medical environment we must have almost 100 percent."

When asked what will be possible if we think 15 years into the future, he replies, "When it comes to possibilities, almost anything is possible." But he doesn't believe robots will replace humans. That's because the question is always whether we even want them to, he says. "I think humans have some talents and superior knowledge for treating patients."

Another hot topic for the future is so-called remote surgery. "By exploiting these new networks like 5G or, in the mid-term, 6G will allow somekinf of mentoring," Julian Klodmann looks ahead. "That is, experts will remotely monitor or advise on the procedure being performed."

But before these issues dominate everyday medical practice, other steps must be taken. "We want to provide adequate task-specific assistance by a mutual adaption of surgeon and collaborative robotic assistance, as well as higher levels of autonomy based on novel perception and control capabilities," the researcher says, looking ahead to the next steps in the surgical robotics development.