KUKA Sunrise.OS Med 2.6: the latest software generation for the lightweight robot – LBR Med – in medicine

An optional convenience function when developing a medical product based on the LBR Med is real-time communication ( KUKA Sunrise.FRI Med ) with the robot controller. Real-time communication is very important, especially in medicine. In this way, operations can be planned very precisely on the basis of different imaging methods, which is made possible, for example, by controlling each individual axis of the robot.

Using KUKA Sunrise.Servoing Med , it is possible to change the robot’s programmed movement, for example from certain points to a flowing path. This valuable feature is used, among other things, for breathing compensation. The robot can be programmed to respond to patient irregular breathing during the intervention and perform it smoothly.

The KUKA Sunrise.PreciseHandGuiding Med option package enables our customers to guide the LBR Med very precisely by hand while at the same time restricting certain movements and degrees of freedom of the robot. This function is used by our partners in surgery, among others. The robot supports the doctor in inserting needles precisely during a biopsy.

Increased rigidity of the LBR Med in position control enables medical applications for reduced payloads and defined workspaces. These applications of the robot are used in surgery and orthopedics. If the robot is to drill a bone, for example, then it must have a certain rigidity and must not be flexible. Here, the collaborative robot LBR Med can be programmed to be less sensitive to external influences such as collisions using KUKA Sunrise.IncreasedStiffness Med . The compensatory movement of the collision can be suppressed as a result.