Hexapod +3 Medical Robot with Highest Levels of Reliability

Fig. 9. Hexapod for medical applications.

The extra legs contain redundant sensors which enable immediate corrective measures in the unlikely event of failure of the standard measuring systems. The complete system (fig. 2) will soon be commercially available from Universal Robot Systems, GmbH & Co. KG (http://www.medicalrobots.com/). More information on surgical robots. General information on on Hexapods.

PI's years-long experience with the development and production of 6-axis Hexapod micropositioning systems served as the basis for the next step: the Nonapod. What at first might seem just high-tech fun and games has, in fact, far greater significance. The three "extra" legs are not just there to complicate controller programming with overdetermination, but to increase reliability. The Hexapod system was developed for use as a medical robot—an  application where reliability is of the essence.

Fig. 10: Operations cockpit and Hexapod with supplementary M-521-linear positioner for extended travel.