Enhancing Otological Surgery: Co-Designing a Parallel Robot with Surgeon Input

TL;DR

This paper discusses the co-design process of a parallel robot for otological surgery, involving surgeons and stakeholders, to improve design efficiency and reduce errors.

Contribution

It introduces a co-design approach for developing surgical robots, emphasizing stakeholder involvement to enhance design effectiveness and safety.

Findings

Co-design reduces parameter space in mechanism optimization.

Stakeholder involvement accelerates adaptation and error reduction.

Improves efficiency and safety in surgical robot development.

Abstract

This work presents the development of a parallel manipulator used for otological surgery from the perspective of co-design. Co-design refers to the simultaneous involvement of the end-users (surgeons), stakeholders (designers, ergonomic experts, manufacturers), and experts from the fields of optimization and mechanisms. The role of each member is discussed in detail and the interactions between the stakeholders are presented. Co-design facilitates a reduction in the parameter space considered during mechanism optimization, leading to a more efficient design process. Additionally, the co-design principles help avoid unforeseen errors and help in quicker adaptation of the proposed solution.