Advances in additive manufacturing for medical robotics: A review

The Additive Manufacturing (AM) has emerged as a pivotal technology in the realm of medical robotics, facilitating the creation of patient-specific robotic components, miniaturized mechanisms, and application-oriented system architectures. The paper presents a review of the significance of AM techniques, particularly stereolithography, selective laser sintering, and fused deposition modeling, in the development of medical robotic structures, end-effectors, actuation housings, surgical instruments, and rehabilitation devices. The range is covered by the description of how AM enables the design of anatomically conformal robotic interfaces, lightweight kinematic structures, and customized surgical guides that are integrated into robotic platforms. The paper evaluates the materials utilized in AM-based medical robotics, which include biocompatible polymers, metallic alloys, and composite materials, focusing on their mechanical performance, sterilizability, and clinical applicability. Through a critical review of recent literature, the paper discusses key technical challenges, such as dimensional accuracy in precision robotic assemblies, material behavior under repetitive robotic loading, and the constraints related to the regulatory approval of additively manufactured robotic components. The review highlights the importance of AM in advancing robot-assisted surgery and rehabilitation by enabling the development of task-specific designs tailored to the unique anatomy of individual patients and their clinical workflows. Finally, potential future research avenues are identified, including multi-material robotic fabrication, embedded sensing, and actuation through additive manufacturing, all of which leverage the capabilities of this innovative technology.