Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42031753›Full record

ArticleNature communications2026

Interaction-aware dexterous robot for minimally invasive transcanal inner ear interventions.

Haiming Li, Peiyuan Gao, Haoyue Tan, Haotian Li, Haifeng Zhu, Mengyuan Jiang, Yuting Ni, Yandi He, Junhong Huang, Yue Zhu and 11 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Nature communications, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

Haiming Li *State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0000-9581-4151
Peiyuan Gao *State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
Haoyue Tan *Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.
Haotian LiState Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
Haifeng ZhuState Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
Mengyuan JiangState Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
Yuting NiSchool of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, China.
Yandi HeDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0005-5913-6417
Junhong HuangSchool of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
Yue ZhuState Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
Jiahui YangState Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
Chunbo WangState Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3702-9013
Bin LiuSchool of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen Campus of Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.
Fuxin DuSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan, China.
Yanhe ZhuState Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
Huijuan DongState Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.
He ZhangState Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China. zhanghe0451@hit.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9049-4080
Tianxue ZhangSchool of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, China. tianxuezhang@buaa.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5444-231X
Huan JiaDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China. huan.jia.orl@shsmu.edu.cn.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2689-5976
Hao WuDepartment of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai, China.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5317-902X
Jie ZhaoState Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Intracochlear theranostics, particularly targeted drug delivery and microsampling, offers a promising solution to inner ear diseases. However, specialized medical devices remain limited by a fundamental design challenge imposed by anatomical constraints: balancing miniaturization, dexterity, and perceptive functionality. Here, we present a low-aspect-ratio, dual-segment continuum robot that integrates catheter, endoscopic and instrumental functions. Driven by antagonistic cables, the robot uses a transition-free backbone composed of saddle-shaped joints to achieve a minimum bending radius of 1.9 mm. Dual-segment motion decoupling yields programmable C-/S-shaped configurations, facilitating anatomical navigation. The microneedle, embedded in the central channel, serves as an end-effector with positioning accuracy of 17.9 ± 4.1 μm. Fiber Bragg grating sensors, mounted on the needle, measure axial force to estimate tool-tissue interaction. Validation is performed on cadavers and in vivo animals, demonstrating the feasibility of a transcanal, atraumatic robotic paradigm. Thus, this system provides a practical and accessible approach for early diagnosis and treatment, helping extend precision medicine to underserved areas.

Indexed as

Ear, InnerMinimally Invasive Surgical ProceduresRoboticsRobotic Surgical ProceduresAnimalsEndoscopyEquipment DesignHumans

Identifiers

PMID42031753
PMCPMC13316061

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.