The robotic surgical assistant assists M Health Fairview neurosurgeons in performing biopsies, electrode implantation for functional procedures (cerebral cortex stimulation, deep brain stimulation) and open skull surgical procedures requiring a navigational device. This device, a kind of "GPS" for the brain, may be used for any type of cranial intervention requiring surgical planning based on pre-operative data, a tracking system for the patient’s anatomy and precise instrument positioning and manipulation.