A Review of Augmented Reality in Robotic-Assisted Surgery

Augmented reality (AR) and robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) are both rapidly evolving technologies in recent years. RAS systems, such as the da Vinci Surgical System, aim to improve surgical precision and dexterity, as well as access to minimally-invasive procedures, while AR provides an advanced interface to enhance user perception. Combining the features of both, AR-integrated RAS has become an appealing concept with increased interest among the academic community. In this paper, we review the existing literature about AR-integrated RAS. We discuss the hardware components, application paradigms and clinical relevance of the literature. The concept of AR-integrated RAS has been shown to be feasible for various procedures. Encouraging preliminary results include reduced sight diversion and improved situation awareness. Special techniques, e.g., activation-on-demand, are taken into consideration to address visual clutter of the AR interface and ensure that the system is fail-safe. Although AR-integrated RAS is not yet mature, we believe that if the current trend of development continues, it will soon demonstrate its clinical value.