Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

David Fielding is a leading interventional pulmonologist whose research has significantly advanced the bronchoscopic diagnosis of peripheral pulmonary nodules (PPNs) — small lesions increasingly detected through modern lung cancer screening programs. His most celebrated contribution came in 2019, when he led the first human use of a robotic-assisted fiber optic sensing navigation system for accessing small peripheral bronchi, a landmark study that has accumulated 177 citations and helped establish robotic bronchoscopy as a transformative diagnostic tool. Fielding's earlier 2017 work pioneering robotic-assisted navigation further demonstrated strong safety profiles and high diagnostic yields, laying critical groundwork for the field. Beyond robotics, he has explored the full spectrum of peripheral nodule targeting technologies, including cone-beam CT combined with radial endobronchial ultrasound — an approach his 2024 research continues to refine. Notably, Fielding has also investigated the human factors dimension of these complex procedures, examining cognitive load in both electromagnetic navigational and robotic bronchoscopy, recognizing that operator decision-making and psychomotor skill are integral to procedural success. His body of work represents a comprehensive, clinically impactful effort to improve early lung cancer detection through technological and human-centered innovation.