Dr James Chandler

Surgical robotics could improve patient care by allowing clinicians to access deeper areas of the body with greater precision, causing less trauma to tissue. To advance these capabilities, research from the growing field of soft robotics has explored the use of compliant materials that can be actuated through mechanical, fluidic, or active-material approaches. These strategies aim to improve articulation, minimise tissue interaction risks, and enable more compact robot designs. However, relying on a single mode of actuation often leads to design trade-offs that make the robots less versatile in surgical applications. 

The MAGPIE robotics research programme aims to develop integrated millimetre-scale soft surgical robots that combine multiple actuation modes to deliver more capable tools. The proposed robots will integrate wireless magnetic manipulation and low-pressure fluidic actuation to locally adapt the robot’s geometry for improved navigation and articulation within the confines of natural anatomical pathways. MAGPIE will focus on developing both the robotic platform and its clinical tools, paving the way for new, minimally invasive approaches that can help to make future surgeries safer, less invasive, and more effective.