Robotic microsurgery: New BMFTR funding for AI learning platform
The Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) is providing €1.91 million in funding for the GRATA research project, which involves RIG partners such as the Technical University of Munich (TUM) and Chemnitz University of Technology. The project focuses on the development of a modular, AI-supported learning platform for robot-assisted surgery.
Ali Nasseri, a professor at TUM Hospital who is involved in the Surgical Robots subgroup of the RIG Research Cluster Healthcare Robotics and Human Augmentation, is coordinating the three-year project. The aim of the research project is to support medical staff in using robotic applications safely and competently. The platform, which is supported by generative AI, among other things, will consist of a semantic knowledge database, a mentoring and training system, and a simulation environment.
Vision: European standard for surgical training
The aim of GRATA (short for GraphRAG-based training and education system for
robot-assisted medical procedures) is to enable users to intuitively learn how
to use a complex robotic system so that they can be deployed more quickly for
procedures in practice. Nasseri, Professor of Medical Autonomy and Precision
Surgery at TUM Clinic, cites age-related macular degeneration as an example. The
disease often occurs in old age and its treatment can be well supported by
robotic systems.
The vision is ultimately to establish a new European standard for surgical training and to
create a flexible and validated platform that improves patient safety and
counteracts the shortage of skilled workers.
Further partners in the project: fortiss, TU Chemnitz, adesso SE, SynthesEyes GmbH, and
YOUSE GmbH.
Duration:
1.10.2025 to 31.9.2028
Funding
Amount: 1,91 Millionen Euro
Sponsor: Federal
Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR)
