2022
Carotid Artery Closure Device Wins ACC InVenture Prize
Team carSEAL, who consists of Derek Prusener, Joshua Cruz, Nicholas Lima, Shovan Bhatia, and Giancarlo Riccobono, is finally bringing the ACC InVenture Prize trophy back to Georgia Tech. The group of five biomedical engineering undergraduates has won the sixth edition of the ACC InVenture Prize competition, beating out teams of student innovators from across the Atlantic Coast Conference and earning $15,000 to develop their device.
Maxina Sheft has accepted a spot in the joint Harvard-MIT PhD program in Medical Engineering.
2021
Yash Chitalia has been selected as an “RSS 2021 Pioneer” among a cohort of 30 students. Held in conjunction with the main Robotics: Science and Systems (RSS) conference, each year the RSS Pioneers brings together a cohort of the world’s top early-career researchers. The workshop aims to provide these promising researchers with networking opportunities and help to navigate their next career stages, and foster creativity and collaboration surrounding challenges in all areas of robotics. https://sites.google.com/view/rsspioneers2021
Yash Chitalia has been selected as a session speaker, as well as the host of another session at the Gordon Research Seminar (GRS 2022) on “The Future of Robotics: Possibilities for Transforming Healthcare”. The seminar is scheduled for January 15-16, 2022.
Three Georgia Tech Students Named Goldwater Scholars
The scholarship helps students continue their education and pursue a research career in the natural sciences, mathematics, or engineering. Shovan Bhatia, Katie Groenhout, and Pradyot Yadav will each receive up to $7,500.
IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Honors Desai’s Decades of Leadership, Service
Jaydev Desai has been helping lead the scientific exchange and events of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society for nearly two decades, devoting countless hours to create what he called “top-notch” programs for his colleagues worldwide.
This year, the society is recognizing his dedication with its Distinguished Service Award, citing Desai’s “distinguished leadership, outstanding service, and innovative contributions to IEEE RAS conferences and technical activities.”
2019
Dr. Jaydev Desai was at the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore to give a Keynote Address at the 3rd Cyber-Physical Systems Symposium (CyPhySS 2019). The talk, titled “Flexible, 3D-printed Robotic Systems for Surgical Intervention”, was given on July 16th to kick-off an exciting day of talks in robotics from academia and industry regarding the future of robotics. More information about Dr. Desai and the other speakers at the event can be found here.
Yash Chitalia and the RoboMed Lab are one of the many researchers at Georgia Tech that are working on innovative technology to fill the gaps in pediatric care. Read more about his project and others around campus here.
Montreal fast becoming hub for robotics research
Jun Sheng will join the Department of Mechanical Engineering at University of California Riverside (UCR) as an assistant professor in Fall 2019. His research will focus on surgical robotics, medical devices, smart actuation and sensing, and additive manufacturing. He is seeking highly motivated graduate students for two fully funded positions.
Kihan Park will join the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth as an assistant professor beginning Fall 2019. His primary research interests are medical robotics at the micro-scale and cancer diagnosis using smart sensing technologies. He is looking enthusiastic Ph.D. students for two fully funded positions in microfabrication / micromanipulation for medical applications.
Jaydev Desai was awarded a $2.8 million grant by the NIH’s National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) to support Desai’s lab and his collaborators for an innovative project that features the first use of intravascular steerable robotic guidewire capable of forward-looking ultrasound imaging and image-guided navigation through vasculature and occluded vessels. – Full Article
Nancy Deaton has been awarded a National Science Foundation grant through the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP). The purpose of the NSF GRFP is to help ensure the vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. The program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) or in STEM education. The GRFP provides three years of support for the graduate education of individuals who have demonstrated their potential for significant research achievements in STEM or STEM education.
Phillip Tran has received the Best Symposium Paper award at the 2019 International Symposium on Medical Robotics (ISMR), April 3-5, 2019, Atlanta, GA, USA – ismr.gatech.edu
The details of the paper are:
Xuefeng Wang, Phillip Tran, Sarah M. Callahan, Steven L. Wolf, and Jaydev P. Desai. “Towards the development of a voice-controlled exoskeleton system for restoring hand function,” IEEE International Symposium on Medical Robotics (ISMR 2019)
The 2019 Spring School on Medical Robotics (SSMR) and 2019 International Symposium on Medical Robotics (ISMR) will be hosted together for the first time on the campus of Georgia Tech from April 1–5, 2019. SSMR 2019 will be held from April 1-3, and ISMR 2019 will be held from April 3-5, with workshop(s) on April 3, which will be common to both SSMR and ISMR. SSMR 2019 will focus a series of speakers spanning over the first two days bringing together, clinical, engineering, and industry perspectives with workshop(s) on the third day. ISMR 2019 will feature keynotes, semi-plenary talks, and workshop(s), in addition to oral/poster presentations. ISMR 2019 will bring together people from engineering, medicine, and industry, who are working in various areas within the field of medical robotics, thereby creating a common platform for exchanging ideas and fostering future developments in the field. – ismr.gatech.edu
2017
Kihan Park has received the Best student Paper award at the 2017 International Conference on Manipulation, Automation, and Robotics at Small Scales (MARSS), July 17-21, 2017, Montreal, Canada – http://marss-conference.org
The details of the paper are:
Kihan Park and Jaydev P. Desai, “Machine learning approach for breast cancer localization”, 2017 International Conference on Manipulation, Automation, and Robotics at Small Scales (MARSS), Montreal, Canada
RoboMed laboratory featured on the Georgia Tech YouTube channel.
One Post-Doctoral position in Medical Robotics and One Post-Doctoral position in MEMS is available immediately at the Georgia Institute of Technology in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering. Representative projects in these areas include image-guided surgical robotics in the areas of neurosurgery and cardiothoracic surgery, robot-assisted endovascular interventions, micro-scale cell and tissue characterization, and cancer diagnosis at the micro-scale.
Candidates must have strong expertise in either of the following areas to apply:
1) ROBOTICS
2) MEMS
Application package:
Interested candidates should submit the following by email in a single PDF file to jaydev@gatech.edu
1. Curriculum vitae with a list of at least 3 references
2. A one-page summary of research background and interests
3. At least three papers which could be either published, accepted for publication, or in-preparation, which demonstrates expertise in the areas mentioned above
4. Relevant courses taken during Ph.D. studies
5. Doctoral dissertation topic and the expected date of graduation (for those who are currently pursuing a Ph.D.)
For more information, please visit: https://robomed.gatech.edu
Georgia Tech is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
2016
One Post-Doctoral position in the area of MEMS/Bio-MEMS for Medical Robotics applications is available immediately in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory.
The Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory University is a joint department and focuses on highly interdisciplinary research activities. The Department is nationally ranked #1 for undergraduate education and ranked #2 for Graduate Education by the U.S. News and World Report.
Interested candidates should submit the following by email in a single PDF file to: jaydev@gatech.edu
Application package:
1. Curriculum vitae with a list of at least 3 references
2. A one-page summary of research background and interests
3. At least three papers which could be either published, in-press, or accepted for publication, which demonstrates expertise in the areas mentioned above
4. Relevant courses taken during Ph.D. studies
5. Doctoral dissertation topic and the expected date of graduation (for those who are currently pursuing a Ph.D.)
Georgia Tech is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
Professor Desai Joined Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology
2015
Professor Desai Named American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Fellow:
Link: http://www.enme.umd.edu/news/news_story.php?id=9080
Launch of a new journal in Medical Robotics:
We are pleased to announce the launch of a new quarterly journal in medical robotics, namely: Journal of Medical Robotics Research (JMRR).
JMRR will be published by World Scientific Publishers (including Imperial College Press). JMRR invites fundamental scientific and technological contributions as well as clinical evaluation studies in several areas of medical robotics.
JMRR is not an open access journal. However, the publisher offers the authors open-access option, if the authors would like their papers to be freely available. JMRR submission site is now open and accepting regular papers, short papers, review papers, as well as video submissions. Accepted individual video submissions (those not accompanying a paper submission) by themselves will be published on the journal homepage.
Important links:
Journal homepage: http://www.worldscientific.com/worldscinet/jmrr
Aims and Scope: http://www.worldscientific.com/page/jmrr/aims-scope
Submission guidelines: http://www.worldscientific.com/page/jmrr/submission-guidelines
Paper submission site: http://www.editorialmanager.com/jmrr/default.aspx
JMRR editorial board members have expertise in medical robotics and clinical practice. The editorial board members are:
Editor-in-Chief:
Jaydev P. Desai – University of Maryland, College Park, USA
Managing Editor:
Chandra Nugraha – World Scientific Publishers, Singapore
Senior Editors:
Sunil Agrawal – Columbia Univ., USA
Jeffrey Cadeddu – UT Southwestern Medical Center, USA
Darwin Caldwell – Instituto Italiano Di Tecnologia (IIT), Italy
Paolo Dario – Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy
Antoine Ferreira – INSA Centre Val de Loire, France
Rao Gullapalli – University of Maryland School of Medicine, USA
Nobuhiko Hata – Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA
Bradley Nelson – ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Rajni Patel – The University of Western Ontario, Canada
Marc Simard – University of Maryland School of Medicine, USA
Associate Editors:
Kaspar Althoefer – King’s College London, UK
Alberto Arezzo – University of Torino, Italy
Ravi Balasubramanian – Oregon State University, USA
Peter Berkelman – University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA
Gregory Fischer – Worcester Polytechnic Institute, USA
Eugenio Guglielmelli – Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Italy
Iulian I. Iordachita – Johns Hopkins University, USA
Jayender Jagadeesan – Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA
Jung Kim – KAIST, South Korea
Dong-Soo Kwon – KAIST, South Korea
Su-Lin Lee – Imperial College, UK
Arianna Menciassi – Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, Italy
Michael I. Miga – Vanderbilt University, USA
Sarthak Misra – University of Twente, The Netherlands
Elena de Momi – Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Nicolas Padoy – University of Strasbourg, France
Dan Stoianovici – Johns Hopkins University, USA
Mahdi Tavakoli – University of Alberta, Canada
Junichi Tokuda – Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, USA
Pietro Valdastri – Vanderbilt University, USA
If you would like further information on the journal, please contact the EiC at: jaydev@umd.edu.
Encyclopedia of Medical Robotics:
Jaydev P. Desai is the Editor-in-Chief of the multi-volume Encyclopedia of Medical Robotics. The Encyclopedia will be comprised of four volumes and will have a volume editor handling each volume. Currently, four volumes are planned in the areas of: Rehabilitation Robotics (volume editor: Dr. Sunil Agrawal, Columbia University), Minimally Invasive Surgical Robotics (volume editor: Dr. Rajni Patel, University of Western Ontario, Canada), Micro and Nano Robotics in Medicine (volume editor: Dr. Antoine Ferreira, INSA Centre Val de Loire, France), and Image-guided Surgical Interventions (volume editor: Dr. Jaydev P. Desai, University of Maryland, College Park, USA).
2014
Congratulations, Elif! What an awesome PhD defense she just delivered! – July 2014
Elif Ayvali, former graduate student of the RAMS laboratory, is currently a post-doctoral fellow at the Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University.
Congratulations, Rajarshi!
Dr. Rajarshi Roy joined ARMA lab, Vanderbilt University as a postdoc in February 2014. Rajarshi is a former Ph.D. student at the RAMS lab. His research has focused on mechanical characterization of tissue properties at the micro-scale and semi-automation of tissue hystology using atomic force microscopy.
Congratulations, U-Xuan!
Dr. U-Xuan Tan, a former Post-Doc in RAMS lab will be starting a tenure-track Assistant Professor position at the prestigious Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) from July 1, 2014. He is currently a lecturer in the same institution. U-Xuan was primarily instrumental in developing the fiber-optic force sensor during his time in the RAMS lab.
2013
Mingyen Ho and Bo Yang graduate with their PhDs – May 2013
2012
Kevin Lister graduates with his PhD – December 2012
Professor Jaydev P. Desai and his collaborators have been awarded a new $2 Million NIH grant for robotic neurosurgery
Link: http://www.enme.umd.edu/news/news_story.php?id=6821
EXPIRED – Multiple Post-Doctoral Positions in Medical Robotics at the RAMS Laboratory – University of Maryland, College Park.
Multiple Post-Doctoral positions in Medical Robotics are available at the Robotics, Automation, and Medical Systems (RAMS) (http://rams.umd.edu/) laboratory.
Candidates are expected to have a strong background in Medical Robotics. Familiarity with MR imaging is preferable.
Application package:
Interested candidates should submit the following by email in a single PDF file to jaydev@umd.edu.
1. Curriculum vitae with a list of at least 3 references
2. A one-page summary of research background and interests
3. At least three papers which could be either published, accepted for publication, or in-preparation which demonstrate required expertises
4. Relevant courses taken during Ph.D studies
5. Doctoral dissertation topic and the expected date of graduation (for those who are currently pursuing a Ph.D)
Contact Information:
Dr. Jaydev P. Desai
Associate Professor
Director – Robotics, Automation, and Medical Systems (RAMS) Laboratory
Member, Maryland Robotics Center, Institute for System Research
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Room 0160, Bldg 088, Glenn L. Martin Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Phone: 301-405-4427
Fax: 301-314-9477
Web: http://rams.umd.edu/
Symposium on Surgical Robotics at BioRob 2012 – May 2012
EXPIRED – Two Post-Doctoral Positions in Medical Robotics at the RAMS Laboratory – University of Maryland, College Park.
Two Post-Doctoral positions in Medical Robotics are available at the Robotics, Automation, and Medical Systems (RAMS) (http://rams.umd.edu/) laboratory.
Candidates with expertise in one or more of the following areas are encouraged to apply:
1) Robotics
2) Medical Imaging
3) MEMS
Application package:
Interested candidates should submit the following by email in a single PDF file to jaydev@umd.edu.
1. Curriculum vitae with a list of at least 3 references
2. A one-page summary of research background and interests
3. At least three papers which could be either published, accepted for publication, or in-preparation which demonstrate expertise in one or more of the areas mentioned above
4. Relevant courses taken during Ph.D studies
5. Doctoral dissertation topic and the expected date of graduation (for those who are currently pursuing a Ph.D)
Contact Information:
Dr. Jaydev P. Desai
Associate Professor
Director – Robotics, Automation, and Medical Systems (RAMS) Laboratory
Member, Maryland Robotics Center, Institute for System Research
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Room 0160, Bldg 088, Glenn L. Martin Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Phone: 301-405-4427
Fax: 301-314-9477
Web: http://rams.umd.edu/
2011
Professor Jaydev P. Desai has been invited to attend the National Academy of Engineering’s (NAE) 2011 U.S. Frontiers of Engineering Symposium (US FOE) – July 2011
Prof. Sarthak Misra and Prof. Jaydev P. Desai to host Full-day IROS workshop on: Image-Guided Medical Robotic Interventions – April 2011
Kevin Lister has won a 2011 Link Foundation Fellowship – April 2011
Call for Papers: Medical Robotics Special Symposium at IROS 2011 – February 2011
Professor Jaydev P. Desai is invited to speak at the National Academy of Sciences Seminar – January 2011
2010
Professor Sergej Fatikow visited RAMS Lab on 04/05/2010
Professor Sergej Fatikow, from the University of Oldenburg, visited RAMS Lab after giving a talk on automated robot-based nanohandling in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Professor Sergej Fatikow is with the Division for Microrobotics and Control Engineering (AMiR) in the University of Oldenburg, Germany. Current research activities in AMiR include, amongst others, the developement of new nanohandling robots; the investigation of novel automated nanohandling strategies; the development of advanced control methods; as well as the investigation of suitable real-time sensing technologies at the nanoscale.
2009
U-Xuan Tan successfully defended his Ph.D. Thesis from Nanyang Technological University on 12/21/2009
U-Xuan Tan successfully defended his Ph.D. Thesis titled: “Design & Control of Piezoelectric-Driven Handheld Manipulator for Tremor Compensation in Microsurgery” on December 21, 2009. CONGRATULATIONS U-Xuan!!
RAMS Lab welcome Mr. Manan Hathi
RAMS lab welcomes Mr. Manan Hathi as the new graduate student to the group. Manan Hathi is a B.S. and M.S. in Biomedical Engineering, with primary expertise in Signal processing of neurodiagnostic devices. He has six years of progressive experience in the research, design and development of neurodiagnostic devices, at a start-up medical device company in Baltimore. He has published extensively in journals and conferences on the topic of quantitative EEG signal processing, and has managed several projects developing novel neurodiagnostic technologies, from concept to FDA approval. He is now pursuing a part-time Ph.D. in RAMS Laboratory while continuing his employment as an R&D manager.
RAMS Lab welcome Ms. Elif Ayvali
RAMS lab welcomes Ms. Elif Ayvali as the new graduate student to the group. Elif did her B.Sc in Department of Mechanical Engineering and Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering in Yeditepe University. Her thesis was on modeling and control of a parallel robot for orthopedic surgery and it was ranked 1st in Project Competition of the Chamber of Electrical Engineering. Her past research dealt with analysis and control of spatial mechanisms.
Anand Pillarisetti joined the University of Pennsylvania as a postdoctoral researcher in May, 2009
Anand Pillarisetti joined the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics in University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia as a postdoctoral researcher supervised by Professor Haim Bau. He will be doing research involving development of a molecular motor driven device which has the ability to separate and purify certain proteins from an unprocessed sample that contains a variety of cellular components. CONGRATULATIONS ANAND!!
Two French interns from the National Engineering School of Bourges (E.N.S.I.B.) have joined our group in March, 2009
Two students from the E.N.S.I.B. (France), Eleonore Lardjane and Yoann Piriou, have joined the RAMS Laboratory in March, 2009 for a 6 months research project.
Eleonore Lardjane is an undergraduate student from the ENSI Bourges, accomplishing at the same time the Master of Research and Development in Mechanics at the University of Poitiers (France). Her last research project dealt with the potential use of fuel cells as applied to future space missions.
Yoann Piriou is an undergraduate student from the ENSI Bourges, accomplishing at the same time the Master of Robotics-Productics at the University of Paris 6. His last research project dealt with the following of the center of mass of an humanoid robot.
WELCOME Eleonore and Yoann!!
U-Xuan Tan has joined our group in Feb, 2009
U-Xuan Tan joined the RAMS group in Feb, 2009. He did his Ph.D. in Nanyang Technological University, Singapore under Dr. Wei Tech Ang. His Ph.D. thesis is on design and control of piezoelectric-driven handheld manipulator for tremor compensation in microsurgery. His past research are mainly on applying mechatronics for medical and rehabilitative purposes.
WELCOME U-Xuan!!
EXPIRED – Post-Doc in Surgical Robotics: Minimally Invasive Neurosurgical Intracranial Robot (MINIR) Teleoperated Under Continuous MRI at University of Maryland, College Park
Position description:
Research Associate (Post-Doc) position in Surgical Robotics for the design, development, and implementation of a highly dexterous Minimally Invasive Neurosurgical Intracranial Robot (MINIR) teleoperated under continuous MRI. This project is sponsored by National Institute of Health (NIH).
Required expertise:
Expertise is required in the areas of fundamentals of robotics, and micro and mesoscale manufacturing for making miniature robots. Candidate must have familiarity with CAD, Finite Element Modeling, CNC Machining, and Injection Molding. Candidates with hands-on design abilities and experimental background will be preferred.
Selection of potential candidates will begin immediately.
Application package:
Interested candidates should submit the following by email in a single PDF file to skgupta@umd.edu.
1. Curriculum vitae with a list of at least 3 references
2. At least three papers which could be either published, accepted for publication, or in-preparation which demonstrate some of the required expertise mentioned above.
3. Relevant courses taken during Ph.D studies
4. Expected date of graduation (for those who are currently pursuing a Ph.D)
5. Doctoral dissertation topic
6. A one-page summary of research background and interests and how it aligns with the current position.
Contact Information:
Satyandra K. Gupta
Professor
Director, Advanced Manufacturing Lab
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Room 3143, Glenn L. Martin Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Phone: 301-405-5306
EXPIRED – Post-Doc in MEMS: Cell Manipulation and Imaging at University of Maryland, College Park
Position description:
A postdoctoral position is available (starting early 2009) for a motivated individual to work in a collaborative 3D imaging project between the laboratories of Dr. Jaydev Desai at the University of Maryland (Robotics, Automation, and Medical Systems (RAMS) – http://rams.umd.edu) and Dr. Sriram Subramaniam at the National Cancer Institute (http://electron.nci.nih.gov). The successful candidate will join an interdisciplinary team working on a project that involves combining (i) recent advances in technology for 3D cellular imaging using light and electron microscopy with (ii) advances in mass spectrometry and force mapping of cell surfaces using MEMS and (iii) advanced computational tools to develop robust, automated technologies for the mapping of cellular architecture at molecular resolution.
Required expertise:
We seek applications from outstanding candidates who have completed their Ph.D. in electrical or mechanical engineering within the last 3 years, with an interest in extending their interests to work on problems of fundamental relevance to HIV/AIDS and cancer research. No prior expertise in biology or medicine is required, but a strong background in MEMS, nanofabrication, and physical sciences is desired.
Application package:
Interested candidates should submit the following by email in a single PDF file to jaydev@umd.edu.
1. Curriculum vitae with a list of at least 3 references
2. At least three papers which could be either published, accepted for publication, or in-preparation which demonstrate some of the required expertise mentioned above.
3. Relevant courses taken during Ph.D studies
4. Expected date of graduation (for those who are currently pursuing a Ph.D)
5. Doctoral dissertation topic
6. A one-page summary of research background and interests and how it aligns with the current position.
Contact Information:
Jaydev P. Desai
Associate Professor
Director – Robotics, Automation, and Medical Systems (RAMS) Laboratory
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Room 0160, Bldg 088, Glenn L. Martin Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Phone: 301-405-4427
Fax: 301-314-9477
Web: http://rams.umd.edu/
EXPIRED – Post-Doc in Surgical Robotics: Robot-enabled OCT and MRI guided breast biopsy/RFA at University of Maryland, College Park
Position description:
Research Associate (Post-Doc) position in Surgical Robotics for the design, development, and implementation of a teleoperated robotic system with real-time optical imaging capability for guiding breast biopsy (Bx) and radio-frequency ablation (RFA) probe within the breast under continuous Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is available at the University of Maryland, College Park. This project is a collaborative effort between the Department of Mechanical Engineering of University of Maryland, College Park, Fischell Department of Bioengineering, and Department of Radiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.
Required expertise:
Expertise in one or more of the areas relating to: robot kinematics and dynamics, teleoperated needle guidance and steering, stability issues in teleoperation, nonlinear control, and haptics is strongly desired. Strong hardware design and integration skills and expertise in C++ is a pre-requisite.
Selection of potential candidates will begin immediately.
Application package:
Interested candidates should submit the following by email in a single PDF file to jaydev@umd.edu.
1. Curriculum vitae with a list of at least 3 references
2. At least three papers which could be either published, accepted for publication, or in-preparation which demonstrate some of the required expertise mentioned above.
3. Relevant courses taken during Ph.D studies
4. Expected date of graduation (for those who are currently pursuing a Ph.D)
5. Doctoral dissertation topic
6. A one-page summary of research background and interests and how it aligns with the current position.
Contact Information:
Jaydev P. Desai
Associate Professor
Director – Robotics, Automation, and Medical Systems (RAMS) Laboratory
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Room 0160, Bldg 088, Glenn L. Martin Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Phone: 301-405-4427
Fax: 301-314-9477
Web: http://rams.umd.edu/
RAMS Lab receives an NIH R01 Grant for $1.27 Million in the area of Robotic System for Bx/RFA of Breast Tumor under Continuous MRI
Dr. Jaydev P. Desai, Director of the Robotics, Automation, and Medical Systems (RAMS) Laboratory has recently been awarded an NIH R01 grant in the amount of $1.27 Million for the project titled: “Robotic Haptic Feedback System for Bx/RFA of Breast Tumor under Continuous MRI”. This project is in collaboration with the University Of Maryland School Of Medicine. Dr. Desai is the Principal Investigator on this project.
The goal of this project is to develop a novel teleoperated robotic system with haptic (sense of touch) feedback capability that will provide accurate feedback to the physician performing Breast biopsy (Bx) and/or Radio-frequency ablation (RFA) under continuous Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Some of the primary challenges of this project include: development of a compact robot manipulator, actuation and sensing that is MRI compatible, efficient use of MRI image sequences to guide the Bx needle and/or RFA probe accurately using adaptive control schemes that incorporate soft-tissue properties as the needle/probe traverses the tissue, and an intuitive user-interface which will provide real-time MRI images and Bx needle/RFA probe tracking with respect to the tumor (target) location.
Anand Pillarisetti successfully defended his Ph.D. Thesis on 09/17/2008
Anand Pillarisetti successfully defended his Ph.D. Thesis titled: “Mechanical Manipulation and Characterization of Biological Cells” on Constitution Day, September 17, 2008. CONGRATULATIONS ANAND!!
EXPIRED – Post-Doc Opening in Surgical Robotics: Teleoperated Robotic System with Haptic Feedback System for Bx/RFA of Breast Tumor Under Continuous MRI
Position description:
Research Associate (Post-Doc) position in Surgical Robotics for the design, development, and implementation of a teleoperated robotic system with haptic feedback capability for breast biopsy (Bx) and radio-frequency ablation (RFA) of breast tumor under continuous Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is expected to be available for a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 project. The selected candidate will also be involved in the currently funded NIH R21 grant on the development of a highly dexterous Minimally Invasive Neurosurgical Intracranial Robot (MINIR) teleoperated under continuous MRI.
Required expertise:
Expertise in one or more of the areas relating to: robot kinematics and dynamics, teleoperated needle guidance and steering, stability issues in teleoperation, nonlinear control, and haptics is strongly desired. Strong hardware design and integration skills and expertise in C++ is a pre-requisite.
Selection of potential candidates will begin immediately.
Application package:
Interested candidates should submit the following by email in a single PDF file to jaydev@umd.edu.
1. Curriculum vitae with a list of at least 3 references
2. At least three papers which could be either published, accepted for publication, or in-preparation which demonstrate some of the required expertise mentioned above.
3. Relevant courses taken during Ph.D studies
4. Expected date of graduation (for those who are currently pursuing a Ph.D)
5. Doctoral dissertation topic
6. A one-page summary of research background and interests and how it aligns with the current position.
Contact Information:
Jaydev P. Desai
Associate Professor
Director – Robotics, Automation, and Medical Systems (RAMS) Laboratory
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Room 0160, Bldg 088, Glenn L. Martin Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Phone: 301-405-4427
Fax: 301-314-9477
Web: http://rams.umd.edu/
RAMS Laboratory receives National Institutes of Health (NIH) R21 Grant in Robotic Neurosurgery
Dr. Jaydev P. Desai (Principal Investigator) and his colleagues, Dr. Satyandra Gupta from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Dr. Rao Gullapalli and Dr. Marc Simard from the University of Maryland School of Medicine have recently been awarded an NIH R21 grant budgeted at $397,541 to develop a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) compatible “minimally invasive” neurosurgical intracranial robot (MINIR). As envisioned, MINIR will be under the direct control of a human operator, with targeting information obtained exclusively from frequently-updated MRI. Unlike currently available technology, MINIR will require only a very narrow “corridor” to approach and resect tumor, and will be capable of operating outside of the “line-of-site” of the entry trajectory. At its operating end, MINIR will be multi-digited, making it highly maneuverable, with all movements under dynamic control of a human operator. Like any human neurosurgeon currently, MINIR will resect tumor by positioning the end-probe comprised of, say, bi-polar electrocautery to liquify tissue. Dedicated irrigation and aspiration channels in the MINIR body will ensure washing out the debris and its removal.
RAMS Laboratory receives National Science Foundation (NSF) Grant in Haptics-enabled Atomic Force Microscopy
Dr. Jaydev P. Desai (Principal Investigator) and his colleagues, Dr. Nikhil Chopra from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Dr. Carol Keefer from the Department of Animal and Avian Sciences have recently been awarded an NSF grant budgeted at $215,000 to investigate novel approaches for using Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), combined with haptic (sense of touch) feedback, to mechanically phenotype and monitor individual cells. We will use various contact models to quantify the mechanical response of the cell for local and global cell probing tasks. Such studies will help us to create a database of the mechanical properties of the cells. Combing haptic feedback with the AFM and understanding the effectiveness of the haptic device in mechanically phenotyping cells is the end-goal of this project. If successful, this research will lead to the development of improved methods of targeting embryonic stem cell differentiation for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes and monitoring cellular responses to environmental stimuli. Additionally, the use of haptics-enabled AFM system to characterize cells will advance our knowledge of lineage determination and our ability to control directed differentiation for therapeutic purposes. Since pluripotent human embryonic stem cells have a strong potential for therapeutic use in treatment of disease (e.g., heart disease, Parkinson’s, and spinal cord injuries), we envision our proposed approach will help to make that advancement feasible.
RAMS Laboratory receives Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO) Grant in Human Embryonic Stem Cell (hESC) Characterization
Dr. Carol Keefer (Principal Investigator) and Dr. Jaydev P. Desai (Co-Principal Investigator) have recently been awarded a Maryland TEDCO grant budgeted at $230,000 to investigate targeted differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESC) in a controlled manner. While hESC, have strong potential for therapeutic use in treatment of disease (e.g., heart disease, Parkinson’s and spinal cord injuries), inducing targeted differentiation in a controlled manner has proved to be problematic. Populations of ESC (both human and mouse) consists of mixed populations of cells of both differentiation and undifferentiated cells. ESC culture conditions are optimized to maintain a maximum number of cells in an undifferentiated, pluripotent state. Alteration of conditions can trigger the cells to differentiate in a semi-controlled manner whereby a portion of the population could differentiate into the desired cell phenotype. Limited numbers of endpoints, including changes in mRNA and protein expression, are available for monitoring changes in cell status as they occur. Usually such measurements involve either destroying the cells or altering the conditions of the cells (e.g., cell staining protocols involving antibody binding). Furthermore, most assays involve assessment of cell populations and do not have the ability to monitor individual cell responses. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) combined with haptic (sense of touch) feedback can provide a means of mechanical characterization and monitoring of live, individual cells over time. In the proposed studies, a live-cell reporter gene will be used to follow loss or gain of function in human stem cells, using an embryonic carcinoma cell (ECC) line. This ECC line is used as a standard for characterization of human embryonic stem cells. Mechanical measurements, such as cell surface stiffness will also be obtained by AFM through force curves at discrete locations on the cell surface. A pluripotency-determining factor promoter linked to the green fluorescent protein will provide information on pluripotency status while a promoter specific to a targeted lineage (e.g., a cardiac or neuronal specific promoter) will provide information on differentiation status. Differentiation will be induced using appropriate stimuli and conditions.
Graduate Student opening at University of Maryland, College Park (expired)
Available immediately.
Interested candidates should submit the following by email in a single PDF file to jaydev@umd.edu. The position is immediately available.
1. Curriculum vitae
2. Statement of purpose
3. Relevant courses taken
4. Copies of Transcripts
5. A one-page summary of research background and interests.
6. Preference will be given to students who already have a MS degree or are obtaining a MS degree by the end of Summer 2008.
Contact Information:
Jaydev P. Desai
Associate Professor
Robotics, Automation, and Medical Systems (RAMS) Laboratory
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Room 0160, Bldg 088, Glenn L. Martin Hall
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Phone: 301-405-4427
Fax: 301-314-9477
Web: http://rams.umd.edu/
Call for Papers
Guest edited by Jaydev P. Desai and Nicholas Ayache
Special Issue
Medical Robotics
Abstract
In recent years there has been a significant development in medical robotics from basic research to product development, evaluation, and feasibility studies. While earlier research in medical robotics was targeted towards development of computer-integrated systems for surgical interventions, it has over the years branched out to cover a wider variety of areas including image-guided therapy, rehabilitation robotics, and cellular scale manipulation. The goal of this special issue is to bring together papers in the wide area of medical robotics and share them with the robotics community at large. While clinical work is highly relevant to this area of research, this special issue will focus primarily on papers with a strong methodological component. If clinical evaluation is mentioned as a validation tool (but not a major component of the paper), that would be acceptable.
Original submissions in the area of medical robotics are encouraged. Articles relating to review of prior research, discussion of open problems, and the future of a particular area of medical robotics should be discussed with one of the guest editors before submission.
Appropriate topics for submission include, but are not limited to:
- Robot-assisted procedures
- Smart instrumented tools for surgery
- Haptic feedback in medical robotics
- Rehabilitation robotics
- Interventional therapy
- Image-guided procedures
- Medical Imaging for robotized interventions
- Cell manipulation
- Cellular-scale interventions
- Surgical simulation
- Soft-tissue modeling
- Telesurgery
Schedule
| Paper submission deadline – | February 15, 2008 | |
|---|---|---|
| Decision – | April 15, 2008 | |
| Paper with minor revisions due – | May 15, 2008 | |
| Paper with major revisions due – | June 15, 2008 | |
| Publication – | Autumn 2008 |
All submitted manuscripts should follow the IJRR guidelines. If you have any questions pertaining to the submission process, please contact any of the following co-editors of this special issue:
Prof. Jaydev P. Desai
Room 0160, Building 088, Glenn L. Martin Hall
Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Maryland
College Park, MD 20742
Tel: 301-405-4427
Fax: 301-314-9477
Email: jaydev@umd.edu
Web: http://rams.umd.edu
Prof. Nicholas Ayache
Asclepios Project-Team
INRIA, 2004 Route des Lucioles
06902 Sophia-Antipolis
France
Sec: +33-4-92-38-76-60
Fax: +33-4-92-38-76-69
Email: Nicholas.Ayache@inria.fr
Web: http://www-sop.inria.fr/asclepios/personnel/Nicholas.Ayache/ayache.html
Submission guidelines:
Please submit your manuscript at: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ijrr Instructions for authors can be found by clicking on the “Instructions & Forms” link under the “Resources” section at the web-site: http://mc.manuscriptcentral.com/ijrr
As per the IJRR submission guidelines, please suggest 3 pertinent reviewers, who you feel are the most knowledgeable on your topic and will provide the best review. We expect for the most part that they will be taken from your list of references, and do not represent a conflict of interest. We may or may not use one or more reviewers from this list. This request is to be taken seriously, since a poorly chosen set of reviewers will be taken as evidence of a lack of knowledge of the field and the paper will be returned.
Multimedia
The Journal also publishes Multimedia extensions. Do you have such material that could be published with your paper if it is accepted? For further details please visit: http://www.ijrr.org and click on ‘Multimedia guidelines’ for submission details and examples.
