Facilities | HCESC (Retired Jan 2019)

HCESC Labs

Simulation lab

The research in this lab focuses on developing hardware-in-loop simulations/simulators of robotic surgery to train surgeons to equip themselves to deal with unprecedented faults in the robotic surgical systems like DaVinci. Research on collision avoidance between the tools of the surgical robot and application of that in the simulation is also carried out here. The lab houses Raven II, a robotic platform used for research on robotic surgery and ROSS, a robotic surgery simulator. The research is funded by NSF/CPS.

Simulator for training in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is also developed in this lab. The system is being made to replicate common clinical conditions such as difficult access, extreme hemodynamic instability and hypoxemia while providing realistic immersive experiences such as pulsations and “blood” flow in the underlying vessels. Realistic flexible vasculature is made using indirect 3D-printing. The research is funded by Jump ARCHES.

Robotics lab

Development of robots for different surgical procedures is carried out in this lab. The lab boasts the development of an endovascular robotic system for tele-operated robot for endovascular procedures. As a spin-off of this research, the lab has also brought out a cost-effective autonomous robot for high-precision needle biopsy. Both of these systems are en route clinical trials.

Research on robot autonomy of surgical robots is carried out in this lab. Robot autonomy is being developed using the paradigm of “learning from expert demonstration”. This research uses advanced techniques like stochastic data modelling, computer vision and artificial intelligence. The ultimate goal of the research is to develop a robotic system that will learn by observing the actions of a surgeon during surgeries.

The lab also develops home-based rehabilitation using adaptive haptic systems for the rehabilitation of stroke patients. The research is funded by NIH/SCH.

Virtualization (virtual reality and visualization) lab

This lab deals with the development of virtual as well as augmented reality paradigms for medical applications. This includes research on augmented reality for applications in surgery as a visual aid to surgeons. Research on virtual reality applications is focused on medical training of residents, medical students and nurses.

Collaborating Facilities

University of Illinois institutes, centers, research groups of biotechnology, bioengineering, and biomedicine provide state-of- the-art research resources combined with unmatched intellectual talent that makes Illinois a highly prolific environment of innovations for the advancement of healthcare.

Advanced Controls Research Laboratory (ACRL)

Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology

Bioacoustics laboratory

Biomedical Imaging Center (BIC)

Biophotonics Imaging Laboratory

Bioimaging Science and Technology

Cellular and Molecular Foundations of Intelligent Behavior (CAMF)

Cognitive Neuroimaging Laboratory

Imaging Technology Group (ITG)

Intelligent Systems

Nanoelectronics and Nanomaterials Group

Biosensors Laboratory