Zahra S. Navabi
Papers
4
Total Citations
51
H-Index
3
About
Zahra S. Navabi is pioneering the intersection of robotics and neuroscience, with a primary focus on automating delicate cranial microsurgical procedures. Her most impactful contribution is the development and validation of an open-source, computer numerical controlled (CNC) robot for performing precise cranial microsurgeries in mice, a work that has garnered 41 citations and established a new standard for accessible, high-precision surgical tools in neuroscience labs. Building on this foundation, Navabi has advanced the field by integrating computer vision guidance to enable rapid, fully automated craniotomies—a critical step for implanting neural interfaces and optical windows for long-term brain observation. Her research addresses a major bottleneck in experimental neuroscience: the need for highly skilled, consistent surgical execution. Beyond cranial surgery, Navabi has also contributed to soft robotics, designing a novel pneumatic soft actuator that eliminates the need for multiple air tubes, simplifying control in continuum robot arms. This dual expertise in both rigid (CNC) and soft robotic systems showcases her versatility. By making sophisticated microsurgical automation open-source and accessible, Navabi is democratizing advanced neuroscientific tools, directly impacting the reproducibility and scalability of brain research.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1
- 2
- 3A Novel Soft Actuator for Continuum Soft Robot Arm4 citations · 2018
- 4