Arthroplasty Innovation

Healthcare professionals using robotic technology in surgery

Enhancing joint replacement outcomes through technology.

Arthroplasty, or joint replacement surgery, is the standard of care for individuals with end-stage osteoarthritis. Our research in this area focuses on advancing clinical decision-making in arthroplasty through the integration of cutting-edge technologies to improve patient outcomes.

Halifax: Canada’s leader in surgical robotics for knee arthroplasty

Stryker robotic surgical system with a white and blue design, featuring an articulated arm holding a surgical instrument.
Graph showing knee flexion and adduction angles for walking analysis. Blue line for Jane Doe, gray line for asymptomatic. Knee Flexion Angle peaks at 40°; Knee Adduction Angle at 3.8°. X-axis is % Gait Cycle, Y-axis is degrees.

Nova Scotia is home to the majority of Canada's MAKO Rio Surgical Robotic Systems, with three of its four robots located within the Halifax Regional Municipality. This concentration allows our research program to leverage robotic and radiographic data, such as CT, X-ray, and surgical robot outputs, to develop patient-specific surgical protocols.

Our research program includes 3D model reconstruction, statistical shape analysis, and surgical alignment tracking to analyze joint morphology, and structural OA-related features in the context of gait biomechanics.

Mobile phone screen displaying a knee surgery case simulator app, with options for procedure, component, and tibial insert. It shows knee alignment details and a visual representation of the leg mechanics.

We’re changing how technology supports surgical decision-making.

Our team is advancing a suite of tools that bring real-time, patient-specific insight into the operating room, from preoperative planning to postoperative monitoring. By integrating biomechanics, imaging, and analytics into existing surgical workflows, our research builds toward more precise, personalized joint replacement procedures.

This includes:

  • Markerless motion capture for high-fidelity in-clinic gait assessment

  • Wearable sensors for free-living remote and continuous monitoring of arthroplasty-relevant gait and activity outcomes

  • High-resolution imaging and implant modeling to assess fit, alignment, and durability

  • Radiostereometric analysis (RSA) for tracking implant migration over time

  • Predictive analytics that tailor treatment to individual anatomy and movement patterns

  • Surgical navigation and robotic-assisted systems that translate this data into action

While our team has long used controlled lab environments to study joint mechanics, our current focus is on bringing these capabilities to the clinic, bridging the gap between research and care, and enabling clinicians to make more informed, data-driven surgical decisions.

Other research areas

Let’s connect.

ortholab@dal.ca

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