Robin Urrutia

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About

Robin Urrutia is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of robotics, haptics, and surgical instrumentation, with a primary focus on enhancing tactile feedback in robot-assisted interventions. Her key research areas include vibro-acoustic sensing, tissue characterisation, and robotic palpation—fields critical to improving minimally invasive surgery. Urrutia’s major contributions lie in demonstrating that structural vibrations from instrument-tissue interactions carry rich texture-related information, effectively serving as a surrogate for direct touch during robotic procedures. Her 2023 paper, "Vibro-Acoustic Sensing of Instrument Interactions as a Potential Source of Texture-Related Information in Robotic Palpation," has garnered 16 citations, establishing a foundational method for indirect tactile assessment. In her subsequent work, "Clustering Methods for Vibro-Acoustic Sensing Features as a Potential Approach to Tissue Characterisation in Robot-Assisted Interventions" (4 citations), she provides a comprehensive analysis of feature extraction techniques, advancing the understanding of how vibro-acoustic signals can differentiate tissue properties. Urrutia’s innovative approach promises to restore the lost sense of touch in robotic surgery, with potential applications in tumour detection and tissue boundary identification. Her work is not only technically rigorous but also clinically relevant, positioning her as a rising voice in surgical robotics.