Forceps-Based Fine Manipulation Challenge

Hands-on with surgical robotic instruments

I helped organize a hands-on challenge that brought people together to explore the precision of teleoperated robotic instruments, through needle threading and M2 bolt pick-and-place.

Our goal was to introduce more people to surgical robotic platforms and the precision and control involved in manipulating small objects. Participants had the opportunity to experience the instruments through two deceptively simple tasks.

A shared effort

I was grateful to help organize the challenge alongside Lueder A. Kahrs, Peter Kazanzides, Adnan Munawar, Loris Fichera, Thomas Looi, Tamás Haidegger, Christos Bergeles, Aban Merali, and Michael Yip.

Thank you to the participating platform teams from Johns Hopkins University’s LCSR, the University of Toronto’s MEDCVR Lab, and King’s College London’s RViM Lab, and to everyone who participated and supported the event.

Special thanks to Radian Gondokaryono, Adam Axelrod, Anton Deguet, and Aakansh Panda for helping make the challenge happen, and to Stäubli and Brandon Harrison for their support.