The Development of Robotics for Interventional MRI

Over the past two decades, a number of advances have been made in the application of robotics to neurosurgery. Early robots, able to perform only a few well-defined tasks, have evolved into systems capable of complex tool manipulation. In microsurgery, robotics can now provide the surgeon with various precise and accurate high-fidelity sensory imputs without taking away the surgeon's full control of surgical tasks. A neurosurgical robot incorporating image guidance, rich sensory interface, intraoperative MRI, and microscopy represents the culmination of a logical process in the integration of robotic technology into medicine. This article describes the development and clinical application of neuroArm, a magnetic resonance-compatible robot capable of both stereotaxy and microsurgery.