Dentara 1.0: An Autonomous Dental Surgery Assistive Robotic Station

The inclusion of robotics in surgical procedures enhances clinical outcomes by reducing operating duration, increasing accuracy, and mitigating risks. However, collaboration between surgeons and assistants can lead to communication gaps, compromising the sterile environment and causing delays. To address these challenges, we introduce Dentara, a novel assistive robotic station for dental surgery. Dentara features a five-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) articulated robot arm and a 2D Cartesian robot configuration mounted on the ceiling, resulting in zero footprint and eliminating disturbances. The design integrates a hybrid mechanical robot configuration, surpassing footprint limitations and enhancing accessibility and maneuverability within the surgical suite. Voice commands serve as the primary interaction method, with hand gestures as a secondary mode. Computer vision techniques detect surgical tools and the surgeon’s hand position. The prototype Dentara 1.0 was developed, and experiments were conducted to evaluate its feasibility, focusing on robot motion, tool detection, and handling. Results indicate that Dentara 1.0 is feasible for automating the assistant’s role, particularly in understaffed settings. The project demonstrates a cohesive integration of multiple subsystems, reflecting a strong systems engineering approach to surgical automation.