Case Study: Zhejiang University accelerates microsurgical robot development with MathWorks Simscape Multibody

Applying a Model-Based Approach for the Development of Microsurgical Robots

Researchers at Zhejiang University faced significant challenges in designing a minimally invasive microsurgical robot, including overcoming surgeon hand tremors, ensuring patient safety, and providing sufficient dexterity within a confined workspace. Traditional trial-and-error prototyping was both time-consuming and costly, requiring multiple hardware iterations to refine the design. To address this, they turned to MathWorks, utilizing Simulink and Simscape Multibody.

By adopting MathWorks' model-based design approach, the team at Zhejiang University created and simulated a detailed virtual model of their robotic manipulator. This allowed them to visualize end-effector trajectories, confirm safety requirements, and identify design issues digitally before building a physical prototype. As a result, MathWorks' solution drastically sped up development, reduced costs associated with hardware iterations, and enabled a smoother transition for student researchers working on the project.

Zhejiang University

Liangjing Yang

Zhejiang University