Work

Collaborative Prototyping for Robotic-Assisted Surgery: Eliciting Tacit, Embodied and Situated Knowledge

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: This article presents a human-centred design study examining how low-fidelity and embodied prototyping methods can elicit design-relevant knowledge for Robotic-Assisted Surgery (RAS). Focusing on femoral cement removal in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty (rTHA), we conducted a design-led workshop involving a senior orthopaedic surgeon with expertise in complex revision cases, a surgical assistant, a robotics engineer from an industry partner developing orthopaedic surgical robots and a team of design researchers. Through scenario-based roleplay, task enactment and spatial configuration activities, we surfaced tacit, embodied and situated insights into anatomical factors, instrument design, surgeon–robot ergonomics, shared control models and operating theatre layout. These findings highlight challenges and opportunities for integrating robotic systems into complex surgical procedures and demonstrate how collaborative exploratory prototyping can support early stage reflection and interdisciplinary knowledge exchange. Rather than validating a specific solution, the study contributes both a transferable methodological approach for eliciting design insights in high-risk, highly constrained environments and formative insights into the design of RAS systems for rTHA.

Source: ACM Transactions on Human-Robot Interaction

DOI: 10.1145/3803861

Authors: James L. Dwyer, Jared Donovan, Markus Rittenbruch, Stine S. Johansen, Valeria Macalupu, Rafael Gomez

Institutions: Queensland University of Technology, Aalborg University

Language: English

Topic: Design Education and Practice

Subfield: Mechanical Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: Australian Research Council