Image-based surgical techniques can support minimally invasive keyhole neurosurgery through the segmentation of computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, optimal surgical planning, and surgical guidance. Keyhole neurosurgery requires automatic surgical planning and accuracy guidance for a target of the non-invasive or minimally invasive treatment of an anatomical structure. For support...

The hybrid assistive limb (HAL) exoskeleton provides rehabilitation of the motor skills of chronic spinal chord injury (SCI) patients as well as alleviation of chronic neuropathic pain (CNP). The HAL device uses bioelectric signals to activate robotic support of voluntary movement during bodyweight supported treadmill training (BWSTT).

Endoscopic surgery as a less invasive method of surgery, is more diicult to perform. The associated problems are visual issues, hand/tool's movement, and force/tactile sensing. To overcome some of these diiculties, in this paper new design concepts are reviewed and proposed such as tools with exible stem, suturing device, positioning stand, and robotic endeeectors for master-slave systems.

Topology transitions occur often during the functioning of a number of mechanical systems. An approach is presented for the dynamic analysis of topology transitions. This relies on the use of impulsive bilateral constraints. The method has been successfully applied for the analysis of the heel strike in bipedal locomotion, and for the study of impacts using an experimental robotic device.

Rehabilitation robotic devices could aid therapists in providing therapeutic exercises. National differences between clinical practices of therapists may affect the acceptance of such a device. This research seeks to discover the preferences of therapists with respect to features of an upper limb rehabilitation robot, specifically presenting results from the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Endoscopic surgery as a less invasive method of surgery, is more di cult to perform. The associated problems are visual issues, hand/tool's movement, and force/tactile sensing. To overcome some of these di culties, in this paper new design concepts are reviewed and proposed such as tools with exible stem, suturing device, positioning stand, and robotic ende ectors for master-slave systems.

Although it is one of the youngest fi elds of medicine , neurosurgery seems to be around for centuries. According to archeological evidence, surgery on the skull is over 10,000 years old 1. In the ancient Egypt, neurosurgery was performed 2000 years BC, as shown in the Edwin Smith Papyrus 2. In the 19 th century, neurosurgery was associated with vast mortality. It was during the 20 th century t...