MIRACLE II at the EXPO 2025 in Osaka

The University of Basel's MIRACLE^II flagship project, funded by the Werner Siemens Stiftung, is developing a groundbreaking, modular system for minimally invasive robotic bone surgery. By combining robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), laser cutting, and 3D printing, the system enables faster surgical planning, highly precise bone cutting, and patient-specific implant integration—all aimed at improving outcomes and recovery for patients. Now, the MIRACLE^II project has been invited to showcase its technology in the exhibition “Life” at the Swiss Pavilion of the EXPO 2025 in Osaka, Japan, from 11 June to 12 August 2025.

At the centre of the Osaka exhibit is a knee phantom, used to replicate real surgical scenarios. Inside the phantom, our miniature robot equipped with a laser pointer demonstrates how robotic guidance enables accurate bone and cartilage procedures. This setup helps visitors understand the clinical impact of robot-assisted, contactless bone cutting.

The display also features pre- and postoperative skull models with a 3D-printed Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) implant, illustrating how medical imaging, digital planning, and additive manufacturing are used to create personalized, biocompatible implants.

Last but not least, visitors have the opportunity to use a VR headset to observe the first patient to receive a 3D-printed implant in Switzerland in 2023, as well as to see how implants are planned and designed in virtual reality.

Achieving truly minimally invasive laser osteotomy requires groundbreaking innovations across all four modules, working seamlessly as one system. That’s why we see MIRACLE^II as the Mars Mission of medical robotics — bold, interdisciplinary, and set to redefine what is surgically possible.

Rendering of the MIRACLE booth at the Swiss Pavillon as part of the Expo 2025 in Osaka

Highlights at the Expo

Laser surgery

Light is all around us—simple, natural, powerful. But it’s not just for seeing, it can perform surgery. We have shown that laser light can be more precise than a scalpel in a surgeon’s hand!

SpectoVR

SpectoVR turns CT/MRI scans into immersive 3D visuals in seconds, enabling precise surgical planning, real-time AR guidance, and clear patient communication—no data preparation needed.

Minimally-Invasive Robot

Our miniautre robot enters the body through a small incision, attaches to tissue, guides a laser to make precise cuts, then "walks" to a new spot to keep working.

University Hospital Basel’s first 3D-printed personalized Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) cranial implant

3D-Printed Implants

Custom 3D-printed implants made directly in hospitals improve surgery precision, reduce wait times, and offer better fit—helping patients recover faster with safer, more personalized care.

Miniature Angle Sensor

Our newly developed miniaturized rotary encoder uses light and a mirror to track rotation: light hits a mirror, reflects through a slit, and creates a pattern on a sensor that reveals the angle of rotation.

Biofabrication and Biosensors

We develop smart biological tools—like 3D-printed scaffolds and biosensors—to repair tissue, test treatments, and bring innovative, patient-ready solutions into the clinic and operating room.