Digitization of a manually adjustable hexapod to enhance surgical safety and accuracy

Abstract

Precise drilling in the cranial bone, such as for minimally invasive cochlear implantation surgery, requires a level of accuracy that exceeds unaided human capabilities. One potential class of assistance devices are micro-stereotactic frames, whose core elements are patient-specific drill jigs. The customization of these jigs is the most accuracy-critical step and therefore demands a highly precise auxiliary device. Although surgical robots can meet these requirements, their high cost may limit widespread adoption. We propose an enhanced hexapod system that retains manually adjustable struts but incorporates absolute linear encoders, providing higher pose-setting accuracy and, consequently, improved surgical safety.