An experimental comparison of control devices for automatic movements of a surgical microscope

Purpose: While dedicated robotic systems have been developed for some medical applications (Cyberknife, daVinci), many conventional medical devices can benefit from being robotized. Examples include robotic C-arms [1], surgical microscopes [2], or laparoscopic cameras [3]. For neurosurgical procedures, high resolution images of the surgical field are important. Therefore, the microscope is a key tool which has to be repositioned frequently during surgery. Conventionally, the surgeon has to perform even small adjustments of the field of view manually. Hence, a robotized device in combination with appropriate control concepts has a direct impact on the clinical workflow and allows for an undisrupted procedure. A number of methods have been proposed to address this problem. For example, gesture recognition [4], mouth switches [5] or tracked instruments [6] have been used to control robotized microscopes. All of these methods have limitations in clinical practice, where a robust solution integrating in the surgical theater is required. To cope with the lack of space and to provide robust and intuitive control, we study the use of a small remote control attached to one of the instruments. Our results indicate that the automation of frequently used microscope movements can improve the surgeon’s workflow.