SASHA-OR

SASHA-OR develops an intelligent assistance robot for the surgical operating room. The concrete goal is the realization of an autonomous-collaborating surgical assistance system which is used sterilely at the operating table. The system is characterized by an unprecedented capability for flexible instrument and object management and cognitive robot-robot or robot-human interaction. As a learning system, it can be used universally in a wide variety of application scenarios. SASHA-OR develops a decisive key module for the realization of the so-called cognitive and collaborative intervention environment. This is intended to replace conventional operating rooms in the future. By integrating tactile sensor technology and computer vision methods and embedding them in a cognitive environment, the project realizes an application of embodied AI for the medical-surgical field.

ASSIST

ASSIST involves the development of a surgically controlled, autonomous manipulator for assisting in surgical operations, which takes over the clamping and presentation of tissue and organs. The project combines highly innovative approaches to machine intelligence and navigation with surgical principles and occupies a niche at the interface between scientific innovation and ethically and legally acceptable autonomy.

FAIRPLAN

The aim of the FAIRPLAN project is to generate AI-based shift and OR schedules in hospitals, to make personnel planning fairer and more efficient through a multidimensional approach, to flexibly consider employee wishes in planning and to utilize resources more efficiently.

2025

• Jurosch, F., Zeller, J., Wagner, L., Özsoy, E., Jell, A., Kolb, S., and Wilhelm, D. “Video-based multi-target multi-camera tracking for postoperative phase recognition”. In: International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery (2025), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-025-03344-x

2024

• Scheppach, C., Wagner, L., Spinner, C., Jell, A., and Wilhelm, D. “Innovating Instrument Handover Techniques for Robotic Scrub Nurses”. In: Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering 10.2 (2024), pp. 5–9. https://doi.org/10.1515/cdbme-2024-1052
   
• Wagner, L., Jourdan, S., Mayer, L., Müller, C., Bernhard, L., Kolb, S., Harb, F., Jell, A., Berlet, M., Feussner, H., et al. “Robotic scrub nurse to anticipate surgical instruments based on real-time laparoscopic video analysis”. In: Communications Medicine 4.1 (2024), p. 156. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-024-00581-0
   
• Jurosch, F., Wagner, L., Jell, A., Islertas, E., Wilhelm, D., Berlet, Max. "Extra-abdominal trocar and instrument detection for enhanced surgical workflow understanding". In: International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery (2024), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-024-03220-0
   
• Wagner, L., Schneider, D. N., Mayer, L., Jell, A., Müller, C., Lenz, A., Knoll, A., and Wilhelm, D. "Towards multimodal graph neural networks for surgical instrument anticipation". In: International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery (2024), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-024-03226-8
   
• Berlet, M., Jell, A., Wagner, L., Bernhard, L., Fuchtmann, J., Wegener, L., Feussner, H., Friess, H., and Wilhelm, D. “Model-based individual life-spanning documentation in visceral surgery: a proof of concept”. In: International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery (2024), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-024-03214-y
   
• Fuchtmann, J., Riedel, T., Berlet, M., Jell, A., Wegener, L., Wagner, L., Graf, S., Wilhelm, D., and Ostler-Mildner, D. “Audio-based event detection in the operating room”. In: International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery (2024), https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-024-03211-1
   
• Geiger, A.; Wagner, L.; Rueckert, D.; Wilhelm, D.; Jell, A. "Detecting and clustering swallow events in esophageal long-term high-resolution manometry". arXiv preprint (2024) https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2405.01126

2023

• Wagner, L., Kolb, S., Leuchtenberger, P., Bernhard, L., Jell, A., and Wilhelm, D. “Deep learning assisted intraoperative instrument cleaning station for robotic scrub nurse systems”. In: at-Automatisierungstechnik 71.7 (2023), pp. 572–579. https://doi.org/10.1515/auto-2023-0062
   
• Wagner, L., Kolb, S., Looschen, C., Bernhard, L., Fuchtmann, J., Berlet, M., Fottner, J., Knoll, A., and Wilhelm, D. “Versatile end effector for laparoscopic robotic scrub nurse”. In: International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery 18.9 (2023), pp. 1589–1600. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11548-023-02892-4

2022

• Wagner, L., Bernhard, L., Fuchtmann, J., Asim Karaoglu, M., Ladikos, A., Feußner, H., and Wilhelm, D. “Integrating 3D cameras into sterile surgical environments: A comparison of different protective materials regarding scan accuracy: Development of a sterile camera enclosure for the detection of laparoscopic instruments”. In: Current Directions in Biomedical Engineering 8.1 (2022), pp. 25–29. https://doi.org/10.1515/cdbme-2022-0007

2025

• Master thesis: A Non-Invasive Approach to Visualize Esophageal Motility(ongoing)
• Master thesis: Development of a User Interface for Telemedical Robotic Applications (ongoing)
• Bachelor thesis: Evaluation of the surgical scheduling process in visceral surgery (ongoing)

2024

• Master thesis: Development of a Robotic End Effector for Decompression of Tension Pneumothorax
• Master thesis: Visualization and explainability of Deep Learning based swallow event detection and classification results
• Master thesis: Postoperative video-based patient tracking using Deep Learning
• Semester work: Development of a sterile end effector for manipulating laparoscopic instrument

2023

• Master thesis: Spatio-Temporal Graph Neural Networks for Multimodal Surgical Workflow Understanding
• Master thesis: Extra-abdominal Trocar and Instrument Detection for Enhanced Surgical Workflow Recognition
• Semester work: Hygienic concept for robotic scrub nurse (completed)

2022

• Master thesis: Development of a universal sterile end effector for the manipulation of surgical instruments
• Master thesis: Development of an intelligent transfer strategy for the robotic handover of surgical instruments
• Master thesis:Machine learning for prediction of laparoscopic instrument changes integrating surgical knowledge
• Bachelor thesis: Development of an intelligent intraoperative cleaning station for laparoscopic instruments