Soft and Continuum Medical Robotics across Actuation Modes
Aug 7, 2025
2:30PM to 3:30PM
Date/Time
Date(s) - 07/08/2025
2:30 pm - 3:30 pm
Categories
Dr. James Chandler
Assistant Professor in Surgical Robotics, University of Leeds
Delivering devices for minimally invasive diagnosis and treatment presents substantial engineering challenges in access, navigation, and remote manipulation. Achieving the required dexterity, compliance, and scale has driven the adoption of soft and continuum robotics approaches. Departing from traditional rigid robotics paradigms, this growing field introduces opportunities in design innovation, advanced materials, and actuation. In this talk, I will focus on the design and development of soft continuum robots (SCRs) for endoluminal deployment, emphasising various actuation modalities including mechanical, fluidic and magnetic approaches. In the context of their suitability for specific clinical applications, I will explore how each approach uniquely influences device design, fabrication strategies, control methodologies, and functional capabilities. The talk will conclude by examining future directions in SCR development, discussing how the integration of multiple actuation methods may overcome existing limitations, driving the evolution of more sophisticated and capable medical robotic technologies.
Speaker bio:
James completed his Cancer Research UK (CRUK)-funded Ph.D. in 2015 on the development of surgical sensing technology for intraoperative identification of colorectal cancer. In 2017, he joined the Science and Technologies of Robotics in Medicine (STORM) lab within the School of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at the University of Leeds as a postdoctoral research fellow, and in 2021 started his current role as Lecturer (Assistant Professor) in Surgical Robotics. His research considers the utilisation of soft and continuum robotics for medical and surgical applications. He has particular interest in the development of affordable soft robotic technologies for minimally invasive (intravascular and endoscopic) devices based around magnetic and fluidic actuation, with the aim of delivering new and improved approaches for diagnosis and treatment of disease deep within the body.
In-Person only: ABB 102
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