Many technologies originally developed for space applications, such as the DLR Light-Weight-Robot or teleoperation and shared control methods, can effectively be used in the medical and healthcare domain. At the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics, we particularly investigate two topics within this domain: Robotic assistance systems for medical diagnostics and intervention as well as assistive technology for people with special needs (re-enabling robotics).
The application of robotic technologies in medical diagnostics and intervention supports the attending physician in complex procedures, e.g. in minimally invasive surgery, to allow such interventions to be performed reproducible, safe and conservative for the patient.
Re-enabling robotics provides efficient daily assistance to people requiring care or with special needs. Robot caregivers cannot and should not replace the human touch and existing care services, but they can ease the burden on the nursing staff and at the same time offer the affected persons more independence in everyday life and a higher quality of life.
By the creation of the MIRO Innovation Lab we simplify research cooperation between SMEs, hospitals and research facilities in the medical robotics domain, to actively foster innovations in this socially relevant research field.