doc. dr. sc. Filip Šuligoj, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture at the University of Zagreb

Title: Localization Methods in Robotically Assisted Medical Procedures

Abstract

The lecture offers a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art techniques and technologies employed for precise patient localization in medical interventions facilitated by robotics. The lecture begins by explaining the critical role that robotics play in modern healthcare, followed by an examination of image-guided interventions and the principal imaging modalities, such as Computed Tomography (CT), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), and Ultrasound (US). It delves into various extrinsic methods of patient localization, which involve the use of external apparatus like stereotactic frames, bone-attached markers, and skin-affixed markers. The discussion also encompasses intrinsic patient localization or markerless methods that rely on anatomical landmarks. The concept of patient registration—integrating and aligning data from multiple sources—is expounded upon to underline its importance in ensuring the accuracy of robotic interventions. The lecture concludes with a presentation of our group’s applied research initiatives in areas like neurosurgery, robotic ultrasound diagnostics, and intravascular tracking of micro-agents. Aimed at researchers, academics, and professionals, the lecture serves as a foundational guide for those interested in the interdisciplinary intersection of computer vision, medical imaging, and robotics.

Short Biography

Filip Šuligoj was born on March 25, 1986, in Zagreb, Croatia. He enrolled in the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture at the University of Zagreb in 2004 and graduated in October 2009, completing a thesis on the synchronous control of dual-arm robots. After obtaining his master's degree, he continued his academic career by enrolling in a doctoral program focused on Robotics and Automation. In February 2013, he joined the same faculty as an assistant, initially in the Department of Design and Manufacturing Systems and later in the Department of Autonomous Systems and Computer Intelligence as a senior assistant and assistant professor. He earned his Ph.D. in October 2018 with a dissertation that delved into spatial registration techniques in robotic neurosurgery. Šuligoj has been an active contributor to multiple scientific initiatives and projects, such as "ACRON – A New Concept of Applied Cognitive Robotics in Clinical Neuroscience," "Application of Robots in Neurosurgery – RONNA," and the "RONNA – Robotic Neuronavigation" structural project. He also participated in the "CRTA – Regional Center of Excellence in Robotic Technologies," a structural project funded by the European Regional Development Fund. As a postdoctoral researcher, he spent a year from March 2020 to March 2021 at the Surgical Robotics Laboratory at the University of Twente in the Netherlands, contributing to the SAMURAI project (Steering Actuated Probes Under Magnetic- and Ultrasound-Guidance for Targeted Interventions). In recognition of his contributions, he received the "FESTO Prize for Young Researchers and Scientists" in 2013 and was part of a team that won the "Best Integration and Innovation Award" at the prestigious Hamlyn Symposium on Medical Robotics in 2018. Šuligoj is the author or co-author of 20 scientific papers in internationally peer-reviewed journals and 14 conference papers with international peer review. Additionally, he serves as a reviewer for an array of scientific journals, including but not limited to Applied Sciences, Expert Systems with Applications, Transactions of FAMENA, Mathematics, Robotics, Sensors, Frontiers in Neurorobotics, Frontiers in Neurosciences, and IEEE Transactions on Industrial Electronics.