Speech: Robots in surgery: can we remove the surgeon from the operating theatre? by prof. dr. ir. Jos VANDER SLOTEN

The use of robot support during surgical interventions is no longer science fiction. Although historically robotics in orthopaedic surgery represented the first commercial devices, the current trend is more towards the application of robotics in abdominal surgery. Successful devices use a synergistic design approach, combining human surgical skills and intelligence with mechatronic competences of the robotic manipulator. This allows for a surgical procedure, performed in a shared autonomy concept. Evidence of the performance of these technologies is being gained in urology, gynaecology, cardiac surgery, ophthalmology etc. Noteworthy is also that Flanders features a top-institute for the education and re-training of surgeons, ORSI.