Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Ulrich Hagn is a pioneering robotics engineer whose research sits at the intersection of surgical robotics, advanced mechatronics, and human-robot interaction, primarily conducted at the German Aerospace Center (DLR). His work has fundamentally shaped the landscape of minimally invasive robotic surgery and dexterous robotic systems, earning over 1,300 citations across his most influential publications. Hagn is best known for his central role in developing the DLR MiroSurge system, a versatile surgical robotic platform capable of both minimally invasive and open surgery, and the DLR MIRO — a lightweight, safety-conscious robot specifically engineered for clinical environments. These contributions (269 and 185 citations respectively) established new benchmarks for surgical robot design, emphasizing compactness, compliance, and intuitive interaction. His work on the DLR Hand Arm System (430 citations) demonstrated groundbreaking advances in anthropomorphic robotics using variable stiffness actuation, bringing robotic dexterity closer to human capability. Beyond hardware, Hagn contributed significantly to surgical interfaces, designing the sigma.7 bi-manual haptic console for MiroSurge, and to precision orthopedic applications through an innovative hands-on robot for pedicle screw placement. Together, these achievements reflect a career dedicated to making robotic surgery safer, more versatile, and ultimately more accessible in real clinical settings.