Olivia B. Richards

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About

Olivia B. Richards is a rising leader in the field of medical robotics, with a focused expertise in the design and control of minimally invasive surgical instruments. Her most impactful work introduces a groundbreaking paradigm in steerable needles, as detailed in her highly cited 2023 paper, "Screw-Tip Soft Magnetically Steerable Needles." This research, which has garnered 11 citations in a short span, presents a novel needle that uses a screw-tip mechanism and a permanent magnet for magnetic steering. Rather than being pushed through tissue, the needle is rotated at its proximal end, allowing the screw tip to pull itself forward. This fundamental shift in insertion mechanics dramatically reduces tissue deformation and buckling, while enabling precise, curved trajectories for targeted drug delivery or biopsy. Richards’ contributions are pivotal for advancing the safety and accuracy of percutaneous interventions, and her work is already inspiring new directions in soft robotics and magnetic actuation for surgical applications.