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About

R.D. Hibberd is a pioneering figure in the field of surgical robotics, whose career-spanning research fundamentally shaped how robotic systems are designed and deployed in operating theatres. Best known for his groundbreaking work on the Probot — an active robot developed for transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) — Hibberd demonstrated as early as 1989 that robotic assistance could bring precision and consistency to complex, repetitive surgical procedures that traditionally demanded exceptional surgeon skill and significant operative time. His foundational feasibility studies, cumulatively attracting over 400 citations, established the scientific credibility of autonomous surgical robotics and directly informed subsequent generations of medical devices. Beyond prostate surgery, Hibberd extended his expertise into orthopaedic applications, contributing to robot-assisted knee surgery and the development of the ACROBOT system, which advanced the concept of cooperative, force-controlled "hands-on" robotics — allowing surgeons and machines to work synergistically rather than in opposition. His work on active compliance and force control as a dynamic constraint, cited nearly 120 times, addressed critical patient safety concerns inherent to robotic surgery. With a body of work spanning more than a decade and accumulating over 1,000 citations, Hibberd's contributions represent a cornerstone of modern surgical robotics research.