Neurosurgical Robots

In the last few decadesNeurosurgical robots, Robots has become a powerful aid for interventional medical procedures. Currently, Robots has been successfully applied in several surgical areas in neurosurgery, such as stereotactic and functional neurosurgery, localization of epileptic lesions, endoscopic brain surgery, neurosurgical oncology, spinal surgery, peripheral nerve surgery, and other neurosurgical applications (Zamorano et al. in Int J Med Robot 1(1):7–22, 2010). With the rapid progress of advanced Robots (including computer control technology, detection technology, image processing technology, multimedia and information network technology, human–machine interface technology, and mechanical and electronic technology), microinvasive surgery technology, and neuroimaging technology, the concept of digital robotic neurosurgery is gradually taking shape, and the realization of the precise tiny positioning necessary in surgery, tiny operations, shape monitoring of the surgical space, and image display, and various other functions have become possible, allowing neurosurgical systems to have evolved from stereotactic surgery to open microsurgery and even remote surgery (Junzhao and Zengmin in Chin J Microinv Neurosurg 13(5):238–240, 2008). In addition to improvements in visualization techniques and haptic feedback in neuro-robotics, the future of robotic neurosurgery also involves advances in nano-neurosurgery—neurosurgery at the nanoscale.