Development of a human machine interface for robotically assisted surgery optimized for laparoscopic workflows.

Introduction: In robotic-assisted surgery (RAS), the input device is the primary site for the flow of information between the user and the robot. Most RAS systems remove the surgeon's console from the sterile surgical site. Beneficial for performing lengthy procedures with complex systems, this ultimately lacks the flexibility that comes with the surgeon being able to remain at the sterile site.

Model-based individual life-spanning documentation in visceral surgery: a proof of concept.

Introduction: Surgical documentation has many implications. However, its primary function is to transfer information about surgical procedures to other medical professionals. Thereby, written reports describing procedures in detail are the current standard, impeding comprehensive understanding of patient-individual life-spanning surgical course, especially if surgeries are performed at a timely distance and in diverse facilities.

Audio-based event detection in the operating room.

Purpose: Even though workflow analysis in the operating room has come a long way, current systems are still limited to research. In the quest for a robust, universal setup, hardly any attention has been given to the dimension of audio despite its numerous advantages, such as low costs, location, and sight independence, or little required processing power.

Methodology: We present an approach for audio-based event detection that solely relies on two microphones capturing the sound in the operating room.

The sound of surgery-development of an acoustic trocar system enabling laparoscopic sound analysis.

Purpose: Acoustic information can contain viable information in medicine and specifically in surgery. While laparoscopy depends mainly on visual information, our goal is to develop the means to capture and process acoustic information during laparoscopic surgery.

Methods: To achieve this, we iteratively developed three prototypes that will overcome the abdominal wall as a sound barrier and can be used with standard trocars.