Glossary of Terms

Ambidextrous
The ability to pick up where the surgeon has left off.
Arthroplasty
Surgical reconstruction or replacement of a malformed or degenerated joint
Biomimicry
Robot designed to replicate the way that surgeons position themselves and their tools during surgery
Computer-assisted surgery (CAS)
Computer-based procedure that uses technologies such as 3D imaging and real-time sensing in the planning, execution and follow-up of surgical procedures
Computer tomography (CT)
Scan that takes cross-sectional images using magnetic-resonance-imaging or x-ray methods
Degrees of Freedom
Each joint having 1 degree of freedom implies that a simple robotic arm with 3 degrees of freedom may move in three ways: left and right, forward and backward, and up and down
Dexterity Enhancements
Technology designed to increase the precision of the surgeonÕs hands to the level enabled by microscopy.
End-effector
The ends of robotic arms where tools can be exchanged and haptic feedback can be recorded
Endoscope
Optic instrument that is inserted through an incision
Frameless Stereotaxy
Real-time localization of surgical instrumentation in corresponding images of the patient
Haptics
Feedback of sensory information, whether proprioceptive, vestibular, kinesthetic, or tactile, to the user from the simulated environment
Kinesthesia
Perception of body position, movement, and muscular tensions
Laparoscopy
Is also known as keyhole surgery, bandaid surgery, or minimally invasive surgery. It usually refers only to operations within the abdomen or pelvic cavity. Laparoscopic surgery belongs to the field of endoscopy. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laparoscopy)
Minimally invasive surgery
General procedures that avoid long cuts by entering the body through small entry incisions with long-handled instruments to operate on tissue within the body using viewing equipment for guidance.
Orthopedics
A branch of surgery concerned with acute, chronic, traumatic, and recurrent injuries and other disorders of the locomoter system, its muscular and bone parts. Apart from the mechanical considerations, it is also concerned with the pathology, genetics, intrinsic, extrinsic, and biomechanical factors involved. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orthopedics)
RCM
Remote Center of Motion
Registration
Finding the corresponding points in the preoperative image data and points on the patient’s anatomy on the operating table.
Robotic surgery
Procedure executed through a robot
Robot
Computerized system with a motorized construction (usually an arm) capable of interacting with the environment, sensor to provide data on the robots current situation, and a system to process this information to determine the next step
Supervisory-controlled system
Type of robotic surgery in which the robot performs the entire procedure using a program preset by the surgeon
Telesurgical system
Type of robotic surgery in which the surgeon manipulates the robotic arms during the procedure rather than allowing the robotic arms to work from a predetermined program
Shared-control system
Type of robotic surgery in which surgeon and robot jointly perform the tasks
Stereoscopic
use of binoculars for observing the surgical field and providing depth
Stereotactic biopsy
A precise method of sampling a small region of brain tissue using image-guidance and minimally invasive techniques
Stereotaxy
Precise, deliberate and spatially encoded movements.
Teleoperation
The remote operation of a robotic device, such as a rover or a robot
Urology
Field of medicine that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and of the male reproductive system. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urology)
Urobotics
Urology robots