KEYNOTE LECTURE

Sarthak Misra

Surgical Robotics Laboratory, University of Twente, The Netherlands

Miniaturized agents can be steered wirelessly within confined and hard-to-reach environments. Such operation at millimeter and micrometer scales requires accurate measurement, reliable feedback, and effective visualization.

This talk presents research from the Surgical Robotics Laboratory on the steering of miniaturized agents using magnetic and acoustic fields. It addresses methods for generating and modulating actuation fields, control strategies for directing agent motion, and techniques for monitoring agent behavior during operation. Ultrasound- and fluorescence-based imaging methods are presented for localization and tracking.

The presentation discusses key technical challenges associated with real-time control and observation of small, untethered agents, with emphasis on precision, stability, and repeatability at small scales.

Sarthak Misra is a Full Professor in the Department of Biomechanical Engineering at the University of Twente, The Netherlands. He is also affiliated with the Department of Biomaterials and Biomedical Technology at the University of Groningen and the University Medical Center Groningen. Prof. Misra obtained his PhD in Mechanical Engineering from Johns Hopkins University, USA. Prior to his doctoral studies, he worked for three years as a dynamics and controls analyst at MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates, contributing to the International Space Station program. He received his Master of Engineering degree in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University, Canada. He is the recipient of multiple prestigious awards, including European Research Council (ERC) Starting, Consolidator, and Proof-of-Concept grants, as well as the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) VENI, VIDI, and VICI awards. He has also received the NASA Space Flight Awareness Award. Prof. Misra previously served as Co-Chair of the IEEE Robotics and Automation Society Technical Committee on Surgical Robotics and as Area Co-Chair of the IFAC Technical Committee on Biological and Medical Systems. His research interests lie in applied mechanics across macro- and micro-scales, with a focus on the modeling and control of electromechanical systems for medical robotics applications.