Global robotics landscape · Family 06
Medical, surgical and rehabilitation robots
A regulated-evidence guide to computer-assisted surgery, rehabilitation, laboratory automation and care technologies—centred on intended use and clinical workflow.
FUURAA thesis
In healthcare, technical capability matters only inside an authorised intended use, trained workflow and monitored benefit-risk case.
How to use this page
Move from what it is to how to judge it—without being misled by one specification or demo.
Separate embodiment, sensing, control, tooling and operations.
Open in-depth topic →02WorkRead value through the complete task and environment, not movement alone.
Open in-depth topic →03EvidenceTest claims with repeatable metrics, failures and human intervention.
Open in-depth topic →04BoundaryKeep standards, regulation, site and research-stage limits visible.
Open in-depth topic →System anatomy
A working robot is the result of several engineering layers holding together.
Each layer explains its job and the signal most worth verifying next.
Clinical function
Surgical positioning, imaging, navigation, rehabilitation assistance or laboratory handling begins with a precise intended use.
Open in-depth topic →02Human control and interface
Surgeon, therapist, technician or caregiver authority, feedback and emergency actions remain central.
Open in-depth topic →03Device and software assurance
Mechanical integrity, sterility, cybersecurity, software lifecycle, calibration and accessories form one safety case.
Open in-depth topic →04Clinical operations
Training, patient selection, room setup, conversion plans, maintenance and adverse-event reporting shape outcomes.
Open in-depth topic →Real-work map
Form factor is an entry point; the complete workflow is the unit of value.
These are not capability guarantees; they frame the task boundaries and evidence a reader should seek.
Computer-assisted surgery
Many systems translate clinician control rather than operating independently; procedure-specific authorisation and training matter.
Open in-depth topic →02Rehabilitation and assistance
Dose, adaptation, patient effort, therapist oversight and functional outcomes must be assessed together.
Open in-depth topic →03Diagnostics and intervention
Robotic positioning or navigation can improve consistency while creating new registration and automation risks.
Open in-depth topic →04Laboratory automation
Sample identity, contamination control, assay constraints and exception traceability are more important than motion novelty.
Open in-depth topic →Evaluation checklist
Five questions turn product claims into testable deployment judgements.
Procurement, replication, pilot design and policy review should record success, failure and human cost together.
- 01
Authorised intended use
Verify jurisdiction, indication, population, procedure, operator and required accessories in primary regulatory records.
Open in-depth topic → - 02
Comparative benefit and harm
Compare against relevant standard care using patient-important outcomes, not technical endpoints alone.
Open in-depth topic → - 03
Training and proficiency
Define credentialing, simulation, supervised cases, refresher training and loss-of-proficiency controls.
Open in-depth topic → - 04
Failure and conversion
Measure malfunctions, aborted procedures, conversion pathways and time to safe alternative care.
Open in-depth topic → - 05
Post-market evidence
Review recalls, corrections, incident reports and real-world performance while respecting reporting limitations.
Open in-depth topic →
Scope boundaries
Make explicit what is unknown and what cannot be generalised.
- 01
A regulatory authorisation supports defined uses; it is not a general endorsement of every application or superiority claim.
Open in-depth topic → - 02
An incident report does not by itself prove causation; under-reporting, duplication and incomplete records also matter.
Open in-depth topic → - 03
Research robots, prototypes and animal studies must not be described as clinically available treatment.
Open in-depth topic →
Sources and evidence status
Return to the original record before deciding how far a conclusion can travel.
Each source carries a publication or review date, evidence status and the conclusion it cannot support alone.