Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Erlend Fagertun Hofstad is a leading researcher in medical image-guided interventions, with a focus on improving the accuracy and practicality of minimally invasive procedures. His work centers on electromagnetic tracking, ultrasound probe calibration, and navigated bronchoscopy—technologies that help surgeons “see” inside the body with greater precision. Hofstad’s most-cited paper (22 citations) investigates the accuracy of a prototype electromagnetic field generator in an interventional OR, laying groundwork for real-time guidance systems that combine imaging with flexible instrument tracking. He also developed a versatile robotic probe calibration method for ultrasound imaging (20 citations), addressing a long-standing barrier to adapting calibration techniques across different probes. In navigated bronchoscopy, his work on intraoperative localized constrained registration (17 citations) tackles the critical challenge of lung tissue shift after CT acquisition, aiming to improve navigation accuracy during biopsy or treatment. More recently, Hofstad has explored image guidance solutions for laparoscopic pancreatic surgery, where tumor identification remains difficult and irradical resection rates are high. His contributions directly address real-world clinical needs, advancing the safety and efficacy of image-guided surgery.