Spatial Awareness and Simulation of Automated Navigation for Surgical Equipment

Context

Autonomous navigation is becoming increasingly relevant in hospital environments, especially for mobile surgical equipment. This equipment must navigate complex and sensitive areas including operating rooms, preparation zones, and corridors, often with strict spatial and hygiene constraints. While physical drive systems are outside the scope of this thesis, cost effective and reliable spatial awareness and navigation technologies are central to enabling safe and efficient movement.

Targets

The objectives of this master’s thesis are:

• To analyze the spatial characteristics and constraints of typical OR environments.

• To identify and evaluate suitable navigation technologies such as LiDAR, visual SLAM, ultrasonic sensors, and others.

• To assess practical integration aspects of sensors into specific types of surgical equipment.

• To develop a software-based simulation that places this equipment in one or more OR environments and simulates navigation performance.

• To benchmark navigation approaches based on metrics such as accuracy, obstacle avoidance, latency, and robustness.

• To derive conclusions about feasibility and performance of autonomous navigation for surgical equipment using current technologies.

Requirements

• Independent working style and analytical thinking

• Programming skills in Python or similar simulation environments

• Basic understanding of robotics, sensor technologies, and simulation frameworks

• Interest in medical technology and practical implementation challenges