Image-Guided Medical Robotics Program

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Program Lead: Dr. Garnette Sutherland

Project neuroArm – established through generous support from Calgary philanthropic community, matched by several provincial and federal granting agencies, is a hub for advancing image-guided surgical robotics and interlinked innovations. Led by Garnette Sutherland, Professor of Neurosurgery and acclaimed technology innovator, the program is rooted on history of two interlinked innovations that went on to gain international recognition and success:

  1. the world’s first intraoperative MRI (iMRI) technology based on ceiling-mounted moveable high field magnet, in an operating room (OR) environment, and
  2. the image-guided MR-compatible robot for brain surgery called neuroArm, another world’s first. Fostering trans-Canada collaborations, specifically NRC-Canada for the former, and MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates, Brampton ON, (MDA - that built Canadarm and Dextre) for the latter, the projects and activities at Project neuroArm span collaborations across disciplines, institutes, industry, jurisdictions and countries.
Neurosurgery residents attend an extracranialintracranial bypass course in 2022.

Neurosurgery residents attend an extracranialintracranial bypass course in 2022.

Image credit: Project neuroArm, University of Calgary

Pipeline Projects

  • The SmartForceps System: Continuing clinical translation of the medical grade SmartForceps System here at the Foothills Medical Centre, and with health Canada ITA approval, the technology is well on its way for clinical trial in 3 neurosurgical ORs across western Canada (Universities of Alberta and British Columbia), including institutional and OR clearance for sites, and anticipated system deployment in Fall 2022. Next phase of system adoption-deployment will include University of Manitoba and potential sites across eastern Canada. Continuing scientific publications, presentations, IP protection and technology expansion, processes/applications are in place for FDA-USA and EMA-Europe. A sensorized surgical system, the SmartForceps System provides a unique digital platform for improved surgeon performance (real-time display and error-warning), learning (surgeon report via secure mobile applications and portals – secure Cloud AI) andsafety (proactive, data-driven technology at point-of-care) of surgery.
  • The neuroArm+CellARM System: A compact, efficient and intelligent robotic system for brain surgery and whole body applications, this next-gen neuroArm will incorporate a custom-developed microsurgery-specific haptic handcontroller (the neuroArm+HD) as the intuitive human-machine interface. As part of its intelligent software architecture, the team is focused on building and delivering a platform that accommodates a multi-sensory, multi-modal cloud architecture for interface and connectivity across multiple sites, creating a digital operating room (an IoT-OR). The system will include a data-driven cloud AI, reflecting a perpetual repository of surgeon and OR data, providing feedback loop and guidance in real-time. IP protection, scientific publications, and commercialization strategies, the project is well on its way to completing an MVP in 2023.
  • Linked Research & Development (R&D): Continued translational innovation, education and mentorship foster multiple avenues for R&D. With the underlying project theme being “Seeing what cannot be seen; Feeling what cannot be felt; Hearing what cannot be heard – a multi-modal sensory augmentation for robotics and linked technologies”, various research projects continue to mature at Project neuroArm. Specific directions include: i. Molecular Neuroscience with brain tumour/trauma and target-specific contrast development for intra-operative visualization/diagnostics/guidance; ii. VR Simulation built on skull-base pathology to reflect immersive OR experience for training paradigm with visual-haptic interface; iii. Acoustic Signature and Characterization for CNS neoplasia and other pathology; iv. Robot-assisted Tele-operations for high-fidelity network communications, access and feedback (include application to remote communities and space robotics); v: AI-enabled Software Platform to incorporate master surgeon force profile (a digital surgical finesse) for guiding surgeon at a workstation – leveling the playing field.
  • Surgical Education: Innovations, R&D and their applications at Project neuroArm are rooted in improving surgeon performance, training and competency. The team and infrastructure offers many neurosurgery residents and medical students opportunities to learn, practice microsurgery in model-based environments.

Team (trainee/staff/cross-discipline affiliations)

Engineering: Diego Ospina, Rahul Singh, Amir Baghdadi, Connor Fell, Adriel Chan, Rachael L’Orsa, Mojtaba Esfandiari, Nigam Lad,  Randy Moore, Mahdi Tavakoli, Qiao Sun, Kourosh Zareinia, Katherine Kuchenbecker

Science: Boguslaw Tomanek, Mehdi Arbabi, Frank van Veggel, Matthias Amrein, Guido van Marle, Bradley Nelson, Sonny Chan

Medicine: Andrea Becking, Melissa Nielsen, Joseph Dort, Francis Sutherland, Andrew Kirkpatrick, Paul McBeth, Eddie Guo, McNiel-Inyani Keri, Matthew Eagles, Abdulrahman Albakr, Madeleine de Lotbiniere-Bassett, Hani Marcus, Stefan Wolfsberger, Taku Sugiyama, Justin Lui, Phil Park, Fangwei Yang, Sanju Lama, Garnette Sutherland

Administrative Support: Miwa Shibuya, Brandolynn Bentley

Collaboration | Affiliations

Industry: MDA (Brampton, ON); Quanser (Markham ON); Deerfield-IMRIS (USA); Bissinger GmbH (Germany); Improving Inc., (Calgary); KaierWo Shenzhen (China); Kuka AG (Germany); Beckhoff Automation GmbH & Co (Germany); Microsoft Corp. (USA); OrbSurgical Ltd. (Calgary)

Institutional Partners: National Research Council Canada; Canadian Space Agency; University of Manitoba; University of Alberta; University of British Columbia; University of Victoria; University of Vienna - Austria, Harbin University (China); ETH Zurich (Switzerland); Hokkaido University School of Medicine - Sapporo, Japan, National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London UK.

The Project neuroArm (and OrbSurgical Ltd. ) team acknowledges the multiple funding institutions (provincial, federal, international), University of Calgary Funds & Development Team and Philanthropic Community (individuals, families and foundations) for their generous support and trust in ongoing endeavours; Special thanks to DCNS and Division of Neurosurgery Members for support and participation in ongoing clinical integration and educational projects/collaboration.