KUKA to showcase products at CARS 2013

Heidelberg, June 2013 – KUKA Laboratories GmbH is participating in CARS (Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery) from 26 to 29 June 2013 in Heidelberg. The company is using the international conference for the third time now as a platform to present its products and technologies and to discuss them with experts.

Among its exhibits, KUKA is showcasing the lightweight robot, whose sensitive properties make it suitable for use in the field of medicine, for example in surgery or rehabilitation. Furthermore, a visionary new operating-room application, which is being developed in cooperation with the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT), is also certain to attract conference delegates to the company’s booth.

The lightweight robot in the field of medicine
Visitors will have the opportunity to get to know the individual characteristics of the LBR. For example, visitors can guide the robot by hand and test various compliance parameters. The “Water Glass” exhibit will demonstrate the sensitive properties of the lightweight robot. With its responsive collision detection, the LBR stops when it comes into contact with the glass, without spilling any water.

In cooperation with KIT, KUKA will be demonstrating an assistance system for surgeons, which visitors will be able to test at first hand. With the op:sense research platform, a surgical operation will be simulated to test the advantages of the robotic application in the field of medicine. The KUKA lightweight robot is equipped with surgical instruments which can be controlled, together with the robot, via a haptic input device. The surgeon sits at a distance from the operating table, but can perform the individual steps of the operation exactly as if he or she were standing directly at the table. By decoupling the surgeon’s input from the actions of the robot, it is also possible to scale the movements performed.

Ideal platform
For over two decades, CARS has been the international meeting place for researchers from engineering sciences and medicine to share information on computer-assisted radiology and surgery. The congress is thus the ideal platform for KUKA Laboratories GmbH to present its technological trends – such as those in lightweight robotics – to a specialist audience.

About KUKA Laboratories GmbH
KUKA Laboratories GmbH, based in Augsburg, is a globally active subsidiary of the KUKA Group. The core competences of the company are the development and sale of service and medical robotics products. KUKA is already one of Europe’s leading providers of professional service robotics and robotics for the key players of medical device manufacturers. KUKA Laboratories is engaged in research and development cooperation with renowned customers, institutes and universities around the world. The subsidiary develops basic technologies for the KUKA Group as a whole.

SOURCE: KUKA