Active constraint control for image-guided robotic surgery.

The concept of active constraint control for image-guided robotic surgery is introduced, together with its benefits and a short outline of its history. The clinical use of active constraint control in orthopaedic surgery is discussed, together with the outcomes of a clinical trial for unicondylar knee replacement surgery. The evolution of the robotic design from large costly structures towards simpler, more cost-effective systems is also presented, leading to the design of the Acrobot 'Sculptor' system. A new approach to the achievement of robotic total knee replacement is also presented, in which a high-speed rotary cutter is used to slice through the bone to achieve a speedy resection. The control concept is presented, together with the results of trials on animal bones and a cadaver, showing that it is possible to remove large quantities of bone both quickly and accurately.