Robotic systems in surgical environments are becoming an increasingly commo
n research area and a clinical reality. New standards and new results are e
xpected from this branch oi robotic applications, and revolutionary changes
in the operating theatre are not too far away. This article describes the
development of a new robot prototype, which combines the high reliability a
nd safety of custom-designed electronics and controls with a new mechanical
design delivering high-precision positioning and safe interaction with the
surgical environment. The robotic system has been tested in vitro in labor
atory simulations and has shown promising results during robot-assisted tot
al knee replacement, thus indicating possible new surgical procedures in or
thopaedic reconstruction.