Medical robotics, medical image computing and computer assisted interventions have evolved rapidly over the past two decades with efforts across the world focused towards minimally invasive, personalized, low risk diagnostic and treatment pathways. Major examples of success are in surgical robotics, general medical robotic system development, control, tele-manipulation, as well as various areas of medical image computing, such as segmentation, registration, biomechanical modeling, and integration of novel imaging systems especially in biophotonics and in the use of imaging radiopharmaceutical agents.

Other robotic developments and the growing spread of commercially available robotic systems foster a strong trend towards developing innovative integrated systems, addressing different clinical needs in healthcare. On this foundation, a new translational research area integrates the strong focus on personalized diagnostic and intra-operative imaging, computer assisted interventions, as well as surgical systems enabled by the integration of robotic technology with medical imaging. This also includes research and challenges faced with respect to human-robot interaction (e.g. tele-manipulation, autonomy) and robot-patient interaction.

The goal of this workshop is to provide a dedicated forum for discussions and interactions around the state of the art and future of medical robotic imaging by enabling new imaging paradigms but also the integration of medical imaging for integrated robotic ecosystems. Main topics covered by the workshop program will focus on advances in the following topics:

• foundations of robotic system development

• computer aided and image guided robotic procedures

• medical robotic imaging

• interaction and manipulation

• clinical integration and evaluation

System developments targeted to applications in medical imaging and therapeutic procedures guided/enabled by medical imaging pose specific challenges with respect to their integration within clinical practice. Aiming at the development of innovative systems for computer aided diagnosis or interventions, key researchers will present insights and major research achievements along with new concepts and challenges in this highly specialized space.

With a strong focus also on translation into practice, the workshop will emphasize the specific requirements for robotic systems in healthcare, with a focus on robotics for imaging and robot-assisted interventions. These systems require an improved level of cognition and automation, aiming at providing optimal reproducibility and reliability, while ensuring safety within the clinical environment. In this regard, the workshop also invites contributions in related areas of cognition and computer vision for applications in medical robotic imaging, to develop situation and process-aware robotic systems.