[I-RIM ML] [Meetings][CFP] ICRA2024 Workshop on Autonomy in Robotic Surgery: State of the art, technical and regulatory challenges for clinical applications

[Riccardo Muradore]

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the ICRA 2024 workshop "Autonomy in Robotic 
Surgery: State of the art, technical and regulatory challenges for 
clinical applications". The workshop will be a full day event and it 
will held on May 13th at the PACIFICO Convention Center in Yokohama, 
Japan. The workshop webpage is:

https://es.sonicurlprotection-fra.com/click?PV=2&MSGID=202404011644300214731&URLID=1&ESV=10.0.28.7941&IV=A39EB8C945F08FDA4E308A5B487AB845&TT=1711989877108&ESN=HyOsAva1sD1tVZxcTJ%2B56HNzbJ9MqFHIltprqMW1FkQ%3D&KV=1536961729280&B64_ENCODED_URL=aHR0cHM6Ly9tZXRyb3BvbGlzLnNjaWVuemUudW5pdnIuaXQvaWNyYTI0LXdvcmtzaG9wLWF1dG9ub215LWluLXJvYm90aWNzLXN1cmdlcnkv&HK=219B96ED53F596BEE52D5116BD10F3764B946AE28EAD05864006B0C7E29A608F

We invite researchers in the field to present their work through 
extended abstracts (2 pages) possibly coupled to short videos.

Abstracts should follow ICRA double-column format and submitted in PDF 
format to
paolo.fiorini at univr.it, riccardo.muradore at univr.it

Authors of the accepted abstracts will be invited to present their work 
during the workshop.


------------------IMPORTANT DATES--------------
- Submission deadline: April 20, 2024
- Notification of acceptance: April 25, 2024
- Submission of final version: May 1, 2024
- Workshop: May 13, 2024, Yokohama


-------------------Motivation & Goal--------------------------------
Autonomous Robotic Surgery is attracting attention. In parallel, new 
regulatory standards are being developed in Europe with the recent 
proposal of regulation of safety critical applications of Artificial 
Intelligence algorithms. This regulation, called the “AI Act”, requires 
the continuous human supervision of the application and the possibility 
of intervening to stop or modify it, should a possible mistake be 
identified. This requirement goes beyond “Explainable AI” and poses new 
architectural challenges, since autonomous tasks must be added to the 
teleoperated surgical robot that must seamlessly switch between the two 
modes.
Speakers from surgical, industrial and technology areas are invited to 
explore the different points of view, and to provide their position 
statements and successful examples of autonomy in robotic surgery.
A white paper will be prepared at the end of the workshop on the basis 
of the discussed points.

-------------------The questions we will discuss------------------
It is known that medical devices must be designed starting from the 
regulatory requirements, to ensure that the solutions adopted will 
satisfy all safety, and certification statements.
The development of autonomous features in robotic surgery has not paid 
attention to this aspect. Furthermore, the recent introduction of the AI 
Act by the European Commission, and similar regulations worldwide, adds 
very stringent constraints to the use of AI algorithms in 
safety-critical applications, such as robotic surgery.
This requirement has two profound implications; the first is that 
surgical autonomous robots should not operate unattended, i.e. the robot 
must preserve its user visual and physical interfaces; the second 
implication is that a surgical robot must allow information exchange 
between its teleoperation and autonomous parts.
This workshop aims to address these challenges, and explore the 
scientific and technical impact of these two implications on future 
products The discussions will be documented in a white paper, organizing 
contributions in a structured format.
For those unable to attend in person, the workshop will offer Zoom 
participation, ensuring a global audience can actively contribute to the 
discussions. The tentative schedule, subject to adjustment for different 
time zones, reflects our commitment to inclusive participation and 
engaging discussions. Join us as we explore the forefront of autonomous 
capabilities in robotic surgery and collectively navigate the challenges 
and opportunities that lie ahead.

---------------------------The topics of 
interest-------------------------------
Interaction and impact of these technologies in robotic surgery:
     • Autonomy
     • Teleoperation
     • Regulation
     • Ethics


Best regards,
Paolo Fiorini and Riccardo Muradore
University of Verona

-- 
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Riccardo Muradore
Department of Engineering for Innovation Medicine,
University of Verona,
Strada Le Grazie 15, Ca' Vignal 2,
37134 Verona (ITALY)
Phone: (+39) 045 802 78 35
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