Driving seamless integration

The Seismic research consortium, supported by Yaskawa Europe as an industry partner, has received funding from the Innovative Health Initiative (IHI) to advance neurosurgery through the seamless integration of minimally invasive surgical techniques and advanced imaging technologies. The €23.5 million in public funding will be complemented by in-kind contributions and additional resources from industry partners like Yaskawa to finance a five-year research and innovation program.

Yakawa's contribution to the Seismic project

Yakawa's contribution to the Seismic project focuses on the further development of robotic solutions that enable safe support for minimally invasive neurosurgical imaging. Working closely with project partners, the requirements for customized robotic manipulators are being designed to meet the realities of intraoperative neurosurgical imaging. Currently, a next-generation robot design is being developed that combines high precision with an open, collision-minimizing geometry, allowing for safer and more flexible positioning around the patient.

Yakawa's contribution to the Seismic project

Yakawa's contribution to the Seismic project focuses on the further development of robotic solutions that enable safe support for minimally invasive neurosurgical imaging. The entire system, including the robot platform, is being evaluated for performance, safety, and ease of use in a preclinical environment. The insights gained from these evaluations will be directly incorporated into the next generation of robotic manipulators and underscore Yaskawa's commitment to continuous innovation in medical robotics.

"This project is an important step for Yaskawa in transferring our long-standing robotics expertise to the medical field. We are already active in the area of ​​medical applications, and the collaboration within this research project allows us to further advance technologies that meet the stringent requirements of healthcare and medical environments," says Dominik Jezeršek, Manager of Research and Development at Yaskawa Europe. "This underscores our commitment to making robotics a reliable and integral component of future medical solutions," affirms Andreas Waibel, General Manager of Engineering EMEA at Yaskawa Europe.

Innovation through public-private partnership

The public-private partnership Seismic comprises nine partners from the medical technology industry (such as Philips and Yaskawa), two patient organizations, and seven academic partners (Erasmus University Rotterdam, Erasmus University Hospital, Utrecht University Medical Center, Hospital Clinic Barcelona, ​​Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, and the University of Ljubljana).

Although significant progress has been made in the field of neurosurgery, minimally invasive neurosurgical techniques still lag considerably behind those of other surgical disciplines. Seismic will develop an integrated suite of technologies, including real-time surgical navigation that combines ultrasound guidance with live X-ray imaging, highly realistic simulation platforms for clinician training, and minimally invasive biopsy and treatment techniques.

By shortening the duration of procedures, minimizing surgical trauma, and accelerating patient recovery, the SEISMIC project aims to improve clinical outcomes and expand access to specialized neurosurgical care for currently underserved populations.