In a recent issue of the trade journal ElectroOptics, a pioneering joint project by the MIRO Innovation Lab at the Institute of Robotics and Mechatronics of the  German Aerospace Center (DLR) and Thorlabs has been featured. For decades, the journal has been regarded as a global authority for decision-makers and engineers in the field of optical technologies. The feature article therefore highlights the international significance of their collaborative research. At its core is a technological approach that aims to improve intraoperative diagnostics – and thus increase safety in complex brain surgeries – by combining robotics with two imaging sensors.

A key highlight of this collaboration was the presentation of a demonstrator at the automatica trade fair in June 2025. As the world’s leading exhibition for automation and robotics, it provides the most important global platform for exchange between cutting-edge research and industrial application. There, experts were shown how the MIRO lightweight medical robot operates in conjunction with state-of-the-art sensor technology. The system combines ultrasound and optical coherence tomography (OCT): while ultrasound makes deeper tissue layers visible, OCT acts as a high-resolution “eye” that precisely measures the surface. This allows the MIRO robot to calculate the distance even before contact and to position the ultrasound probe autonomously and particularly gently. As a result, the surgeon is provided with an accurate image that reveals both fine surface details and critical structures deep within the tissue.

You can find the full article here.