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Asgari M, Magerand L, Manfredi L. A review on model-based and model-free approaches to control soft actuators and their potentials in colonoscopy. Front Robot AI 2023; 10:1236706. [PMID: 38023589 PMCID: PMC10665478 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2023.1236706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and responsible for approximately 1 million deaths annually. Early screening is essential to increase the chances of survival, and it can also reduce the cost of treatments for healthcare centres. Colonoscopy is the gold standard for CRC screening and treatment, but it has several drawbacks, including difficulty in manoeuvring the device, patient discomfort, and high cost. Soft endorobots, small and compliant devices thatcan reduce the force exerted on the colonic wall, offer a potential solution to these issues. However, controlling these soft robots is challenging due to their deformable materials and the limitations of mathematical models. In this Review, we discuss model-free and model-based approaches for controlling soft robots that can potentially be applied to endorobots for colonoscopy. We highlight the importance of selecting appropriate control methods based on various parameters, such as sensor and actuator solutions. This review aims to contribute to the development of smart control strategies for soft endorobots that can enhance the effectiveness and safety of robotics in colonoscopy. These strategies can be defined based on the available information about the robot and surrounding environment, control demands, mechanical design impact and characterization data based on calibration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Motahareh Asgari
- Division of Imaging Science and Technology, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Ludovic Magerand
- Division of Computing, School of Science and Engineering, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Luigi Manfredi
- Division of Imaging Science and Technology, School of Medicine, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
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Rogatinsky J, Recco D, Feichtmeier J, Kang Y, Kneier N, Hammer P, O’Leary E, Mah D, Hoganson D, Vasilyev NV, Ranzani T. A multifunctional soft robot for cardiac interventions. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadi5559. [PMID: 37878705 PMCID: PMC10599628 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adi5559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
In minimally invasive endovascular procedures, surgeons rely on catheters with low dexterity and high aspect ratios to reach an anatomical target. However, the environment inside the beating heart presents a combination of challenges unique to few anatomic locations, making it difficult for interventional tools to maneuver dexterously and apply substantial forces on an intracardiac target. We demonstrate a millimeter-scale soft robotic platform that can deploy and self-stabilize at the entrance to the heart, and guide existing interventional tools toward a target site. In two exemplar intracardiac procedures within the right atrium, the robotic platform provides enough dexterity to reach multiple anatomical targets, enough stability to maintain constant contact on motile targets, and enough mechanical leverage to generate newton-level forces. Because the device addresses ongoing challenges in minimally invasive intracardiac intervention, it may enable the further development of catheter-based interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob Rogatinsky
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Dominic Recco
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | | | - Yuchen Kang
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Nicholas Kneier
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Peter Hammer
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Edward O’Leary
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Douglas Mah
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - David Hoganson
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nikolay V. Vasilyev
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Tommaso Ranzani
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
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3
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Rusu DM, Petrașcu OL, Pascu AM, Mândru SD. The Influence of Industrial Environmental Factors on Soft Robot Materials. MATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 16:2948. [PMID: 37109784 PMCID: PMC10143124 DOI: 10.3390/ma16082948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
This work aims to identify the effects that a series of environmental factors, specific to the industrial conditions, have on the materials in the structure of soft robots and, therefore, on soft robotics systems. The purpose is to understand the changes in the mechanical characteristics of silicone materials, with the aim of transferring soft robotics applications from the sphere of services in the industrial field. Distilled water, hydraulic oil, cooling oil, and UV rays are the environmental factors considered in which the specimens were immersed/exposed for 24 h according to ISO-62/2008. The analysis was carried out on two of the most widely used materials in the field, belonging to the category of silicone rubber, which were subjected to uniaxial tensile tests on the strength testing machine Titan 2 Universal. The results show that the greatest impact on the characteristics of the two materials was when exposed to UV rays, while the other media tested had relatively little impact on the mechanical and elastic properties (tensile strength, elongation at break, and tensile modulus) of these materials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Mihai Rusu
- Mechatronics and Machine Dynamics Department, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
| | - Olivia Laura Petrașcu
- Department of Industrial Machines and Equipment, Engineering Faculty, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Victoriei 10, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Adrian Marius Pascu
- Department of Industrial Machines and Equipment, Engineering Faculty, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Victoriei 10, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Silviu Dan Mândru
- Mechatronics and Machine Dynamics Department, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania;
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Rusu DM, Mândru SD, Biriș CM, Petrașcu OL, Morariu F, Ianosi-Andreeva-Dimitrova A. Soft Robotics: A Systematic Review and Bibliometric Analysis. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:mi14020359. [PMID: 36838059 PMCID: PMC9961507 DOI: 10.3390/mi14020359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 01/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, soft robotics has developed considerably, especially since the year 2018 when it became a hot field among current research topics. The attention that this field receives from researchers and the public is marked by the substantial increase in both the quantity and the quality of scientific publications. In this review, in order to create a relevant and comprehensive picture of this field both quantitatively and qualitatively, the paper approaches two directions. The first direction is centered on a bibliometric analysis focused on the period 2008-2022 with the exact expression that best characterizes this field, which is "Soft Robotics", and the data were taken from a series of multidisciplinary databases and a specialized journal. The second direction focuses on the analysis of bibliographic references that were rigorously selected following a clear methodology based on a series of inclusion and exclusion criteria. After the selection of bibliographic sources, 111 papers were part of the final analysis, which have been analyzed in detail considering three different perspectives: one related to the design principle (biologically inspired soft robotics), one related to functionality (closed/open-loop control), and one from a biomedical applications perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan-Mihai Rusu
- Mechatronics and Machine Dynamics Department, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
- Correspondence:
| | - Silviu-Dan Mândru
- Mechatronics and Machine Dynamics Department, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Cristina-Maria Biriș
- Department of Industrial Machines and Equipment, Engineering Faculty, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Victoriei 10, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Olivia-Laura Petrașcu
- Department of Industrial Machines and Equipment, Engineering Faculty, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Victoriei 10, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
| | - Fineas Morariu
- Department of Industrial Machines and Equipment, Engineering Faculty, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Victoriei 10, 550024 Sibiu, Romania
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Gerald A, McCandless M, Sheth A, Aihara H, Russo S. A Soft Sensor for Bleeding Detection in Colonoscopies. ADVANCED INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2022; 4:2100254. [PMID: 35757581 PMCID: PMC9216226 DOI: 10.1002/aisy.202100254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Colonoscopies allow surgeons to detect common diseases i.e. colorectal cancer, ulcers and other ailments. However, there is a risk of bleeding in the lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract while maneuvering endoscopes. This may be due to perforations, hemorrhaging, polyps, diverticuli or post-biopsy complications. Thus, it is essential for the surgeon to be able to detect bleeding at the site and evaluate the severity of blood leakage. This paper presents a soft sensor that can detect the presence of blood at the bleeding site during colonoscopies. The sensor consists of optical waveguides that interface with a microfluidic channel. Blood flow causes absorption and scattering of incident light that can be picked up by the optical sensing apparatus via light transmission through the waveguide. The surgeon can be alerted when bleeding occurs through a graphical user interface. The device is compact and measures only 1 mm thick. This allows the sensor to be circumferentially mounted onto a colonoscope at different locations. The sensor is able to record the presence of blood as an optical loss, rapidly detect the presence of blood in under 100 milliseconds as it enters the microchannel, and differentiate between gastric fluid and blood through changes in measured optical loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arincheyan Gerald
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Max McCandless
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Avani Sheth
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Aihara
- Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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Lindenroth L, Merlin J, Bano S, G. Manjaly J, Mehta N, Stoyanov D. Intrinsic force sensing for motion estimation in a parallel, fluidic soft robot for endoluminal interventions. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2022. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2022.3193627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Lindenroth
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences (WEISS), University College London, 43-45 Foley St., Fitzrovia, UK
| | - Jeref Merlin
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences (WEISS), University College London, 43-45 Foley St., Fitzrovia, UK
| | - Sophia Bano
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences (WEISS), University College London, 43-45 Foley St., Fitzrovia, UK
| | - Joseph G. Manjaly
- University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, National Institute for Health Research, UK
| | - Nishchay Mehta
- University College London Hospitals Biomedical Research Centre, National Institute for Health Research, UK
| | - Danail Stoyanov
- Wellcome/EPSRC Centre for Interventional and Surgical Sciences (WEISS), University College London, 43-45 Foley St., Fitzrovia, UK
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