M. Jakopec

About

M. Jakopec is a pioneering researcher in the field of medical robotics, with a particular focus on robotic-assisted orthopaedic surgery and the development of collaborative human-robot surgical systems. His most significant contribution is the creation and clinical validation of the Acrobot ("Active Constraint Robot") system, a groundbreaking "hands-on" robotic platform designed to enhance precision in knee replacement surgery. Unlike fully autonomous surgical robots, the Acrobot uniquely preserves the surgeon's agency while providing active constraints to guide and refine bone machining, representing a philosophically distinct and practically compelling approach to surgical robotics. Jakopec's work spans both foundational system design and rigorous clinical evaluation. His landmark 2006 randomised controlled trial of unicompartmental knee arthroplasty, which has garnered over 328 citations, provided compelling clinical evidence for the superiority of robotic-assisted over conventional surgical techniques. Earlier publications from 2001 to 2003, collectively accumulating hundreds of citations, document the Acrobot system's first clinical applications in total knee replacement, establishing a translational research trajectory from concept to bedside. His broader theoretical contributions on active-constraint robotics and cost-effective surgical robot design have further shaped the field's direction, making him an influential figure in the evolution of precision orthopaedic surgery.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   Hands-on robotic unicompartmental knee replacement

   328 citations · 2006
2. 2
   The first clinical application of a ?hands-on? robotic knee surgery system

   179 citations · 2001
3. 3
   The First Clinical Application of a “Hands-On” Robotic Knee Surgery System

   154 citations · 2001
4. 4
   The hands-on orthopaedic robot "acrobot": early clinical trials of total knee replacement surgery

   143 citations · 2003
5. 5
   Active-Constraint Robotics for Surgery

   60 citations · 2006
6. 6
   Robotic control in knee joint replacement surgery

   59 citations · 2007
7. 7
   Robotic clinical trials of uni-condylar arthroplasty

   46 citations · 2005
8. 8
   The Acrobot^® system for total knee replacement

   31 citations · 2003
9. 9
   ACROBOT - using robots and surgeons synergistically in knee surgery

   22 citations · 2002
10. 10
    Preliminary Results of an Early Clinical Experience with the Acrobot™ System for Total Knee Replacement Surgery

    19 citations · 2002

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links