Visiting the ALTAIR Robotics lab in Verona

A Laboratory for Teleoperation and Autonomous Intelligent Robtos (ALTAIR) is led by Prof. Paolo Fiorini within the CS department of the University of Verona. It was founded in 2000, and now full of smart and extremely nice people doing cutting edge robotics research. (They are also fun.) Part of them are working in the university spin-off Surgica Robotica
"The aim of this laboratory is to lead research and development on non-conventional robotic systems that can interact with the surrounding environment in multiple ways, from teleoperation to autonomous behaviours.  The research focuses mainly on applications for service robotics and field robotics, including all robotic systems that are not concerned with manufacturing operations."
They are involved with many EU FP7 projects, such as:
  • SAFROS: Its goal is to address the development of technologies for patient safety in robotic surgery. Its aims are to define patient safety metrics for surgical procedures; to develop methods that abide by safety requirements; and to demonstrate that a properly controlled robotic suergery carried out in accordance to our safety criteria can improve the level of patient safety currently achievable by traditional surgery.
  • ACCUROBAS: Its goal is to address the development of technologies for patient safety in robotic surgery. Its aims are to define patient safety metrics for surgical procedures; to develop methods that abide by safety requirements; and to demonstrate that a properly controlled robotic suergery carried out in accordance to our safety criteria can improve the level of patient safety currently achievable by traditional surgery.
  • RoSta: The objective of RoSta is to take the initiative proactively on the definition of formal standards for robotics and to establish de facto standards in the field of robotics -- especially service robotics.
  • I-SUR: To explore the feasibility of automated surgery, in this project we develop general methods for cognitive surgical robots capable of combining sensing, dexterity and cognitive capabilities to carry out autonomously simple surgical actions, such as puncturing, cutting and suturing. Learn more about it here.
  • They are closely cooperating with the Center for Experimental Surgical Robotics and the
Personally, I really liked thier laparoscopic VR Surgical simulator (more video) and the full-room tracked hybrid image-guided biopsy/cryoablation setup

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