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Bloemberg J, Hoppener B, Coolen B, Sakes A, Breedveld P. Design and evaluation of a pneumatic actuation unit for a wasp-inspired self-propelled needle. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0306411. [PMID: 38954720 PMCID: PMC11218968 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0306411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Transperineal laser ablation is a minimally invasive thermo-ablative treatment for prostate cancer that requires the insertion of a needle for accurate optical fiber positioning. Needle insertion in soft tissues may cause tissue motion and deformation, resulting in tissue damage and needle positioning errors. In this study, we present a wasp-inspired self-propelled needle that uses pneumatic actuation to move forward with zero external push force, thus avoiding large tissue motion and deformation. The needle consists of six parallel 0.25-mm diameter Nitinol rods driven by a pneumatic actuation system. The pneumatic actuation system consists of Magnetic Resonance (MR) safe 3D-printed parts and off-the-shelf plastic screws. A self-propelled motion is achieved by advancing the needle segments one by one, followed by retracting them simultaneously. The advancing needle segment has to overcome a cutting and friction force, while the stationary needle segments experience a friction force in the opposite direction. The needle self-propels through the tissue when the friction force of the five stationary needle segments overcomes the sum of the friction and cutting forces of the advancing needle segment. We evaluated the prototype's performance in 10-wt% gelatin phantoms and ex vivo porcine liver tissue inside a preclinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner in terms of the slip ratio of the needle with respect to the phantom or liver tissue. Our results demonstrated that the needle was able to self-propel through the phantom and liver tissue with slip ratios of 0.912-0.955 and 0.88, respectively. The prototype is a promising step toward the development of self-propelled needles for MRI-guided transperineal laser ablation as a method to treat prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jette Bloemberg
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of BioMechanical Engineering, Bio-Inspired Technology (BITE) Group, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Bruce Hoppener
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of BioMechanical Engineering, Bio-Inspired Technology (BITE) Group, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Bram Coolen
- Department of Biomedical Engineering & Physics, Amsterdam UMC Location University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Aimée Sakes
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of BioMechanical Engineering, Bio-Inspired Technology (BITE) Group, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
| | - Paul Breedveld
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Department of BioMechanical Engineering, Bio-Inspired Technology (BITE) Group, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands
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Zhou Z, Yang J, Runciman M, Avery J, Sun Z, Mylonas G. A Tension Sensor Array for Cable-Driven Surgical Robots. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2024; 24:3156. [PMID: 38794010 PMCID: PMC11125287 DOI: 10.3390/s24103156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Tendon-sheath structures are commonly utilized to drive surgical robots due to their compact size, flexibility, and straightforward controllability. However, long-distance cable tension estimation poses a significant challenge due to its frictional characteristics affected by complicated factors. This paper proposes a miniature tension sensor array for an endoscopic cable-driven parallel robot, aiming to integrate sensors into the distal end of long and flexible surgical instruments to sense cable tension and alleviate friction between the tendon and sheath. The sensor array, mounted at the distal end of the robot, boasts the advantages of a small size (16 mm outer diameter) and reduced frictional impact. A force compensation strategy was presented and verified on a platform with a single cable and subsequently implemented on the robot. The robot demonstrated good performance in a series of palpation tests, exhibiting a 0.173 N average error in force estimation and a 0.213 N root-mean-square error. In blind tests, all ten participants were able to differentiate between silicone pads with varying hardness through force feedback provided by a haptic device.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangxi Zhou
- The Hamlyn Centre, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London W2 1PF, UK; (Z.Z.); (J.Y.); (M.R.); (J.A.)
| | - Jianlin Yang
- The Hamlyn Centre, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London W2 1PF, UK; (Z.Z.); (J.Y.); (M.R.); (J.A.)
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Aerospace Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China;
| | - Mark Runciman
- The Hamlyn Centre, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London W2 1PF, UK; (Z.Z.); (J.Y.); (M.R.); (J.A.)
| | - James Avery
- The Hamlyn Centre, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London W2 1PF, UK; (Z.Z.); (J.Y.); (M.R.); (J.A.)
| | - Zhijun Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control of Aerospace Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China;
| | - George Mylonas
- The Hamlyn Centre, Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, London W2 1PF, UK; (Z.Z.); (J.Y.); (M.R.); (J.A.)
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Sanchez EM, Avery J, Gan J, Qian J, Mandal N, Agarwal A, Mwiinga M, Banda R, Darzi A, Kelly P, Thompson AJ. Transcutaneous fluorescence spectroscopy: development and characterization of a compact, portable, and fiber-optic sensor. JOURNAL OF BIOMEDICAL OPTICS 2024; 29:027003. [PMID: 38419754 PMCID: PMC10900991 DOI: 10.1117/1.jbo.29.2.027003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Significance The integrity of the intestinal barrier is gaining recognition as a significant contributor to various pathophysiological conditions, including inflammatory bowel disease, celiac disease, environmental enteric dysfunction (EED), and malnutrition. EED, for example, manifests as complex structural and functional changes in the small intestine leading to increased intestinal permeability, inflammation, and reduced absorption of nutrients. Despite the importance of gut function, current techniques to assess intestinal permeability (such as endoscopic biopsies or dual sugar assays) are either highly invasive, unreliable, and/or difficult to perform in certain patient populations (e.g., infants). Aim We present a portable, optical sensor based on transcutaneous fluorescence spectroscopy to assess gut function (in particular, intestinal permeability) in a fast and noninvasive manner. Approach Participants receive an oral dose of a fluorescent contrast agent, and a wearable fiber-optic probe detects the permeation of the contrast agent from the gut into the blood stream by measuring the fluorescence intensity noninvasively at the fingertip. We characterized the performance of our compact optical sensor by comparing it against an existing benchtop spectroscopic system. In addition, we report results from a human study in healthy volunteers investigating the impact of skin tone and contrast agent dose on transcutaneous fluorescence signals. Results The first study with eight healthy participants showed good correlation between our compact sensor and the existing benchtop spectroscopic system [correlation coefficient ( r ) > 0.919 , p < 0.001 ]. Further experiments in 14 healthy participants revealed an approximately linear relationship between the ingested contrast agent dose and the collected signal intensity. Finally, a parallel study on the impact of different skin tones showed no significant differences in signal levels between participants with different skin tones (p > 0.05 ). Conclusions In this paper, we demonstrate the potential of our compact transcutaneous fluorescence sensor for noninvasive monitoring of intestinal health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Monfort Sanchez
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, The Hamlyn Centre, London, United Kingdom
- St. Mary’s Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, Department of Surgery and Cancer, London, United Kingdom
| | - James Avery
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, The Hamlyn Centre, London, United Kingdom
- St. Mary’s Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, Department of Surgery and Cancer, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jonathan Gan
- St. Mary’s Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, Department of Surgery and Cancer, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jingjing Qian
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, The Hamlyn Centre, London, United Kingdom
| | - Nilanjan Mandal
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, The Hamlyn Centre, London, United Kingdom
- St. Mary’s Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, Department of Surgery and Cancer, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arjun Agarwal
- St. Mary’s Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, Department of Surgery and Cancer, London, United Kingdom
| | - Mulima Mwiinga
- University of Zambia School of Medicine, Tropical Gastroenterology and Nutrition Group, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Rose Banda
- University of Zambia School of Medicine, Tropical Gastroenterology and Nutrition Group, Lusaka, Zambia
| | - Ara Darzi
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, The Hamlyn Centre, London, United Kingdom
- St. Mary’s Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, Department of Surgery and Cancer, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Kelly
- University of Zambia School of Medicine, Tropical Gastroenterology and Nutrition Group, Lusaka, Zambia
- Queen Mary University of London, Blizard Institute, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alex J. Thompson
- Institute of Global Health Innovation, Imperial College London, The Hamlyn Centre, London, United Kingdom
- St. Mary’s Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, Department of Surgery and Cancer, London, United Kingdom
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Dai Y, Deng Z, Wang X, Yuan H. A Hybrid Controller for a Soft Pneumatic Manipulator Based on Model Predictive Control and Iterative Learning Control. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 23:1272. [PMID: 36772312 PMCID: PMC9918892 DOI: 10.3390/s23031272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Due to the outstanding characteristics of the large structural flexibility and strong dexterity of soft robots, they have attracted great attention. However, the dynamic modeling and precise control of soft robots face huge challenges. Traditional model-based and model-free control methods find it difficult to obtain a balance between complexity and accuracy. In this paper, a dynamic model of a three-chamber continuous pneumatic manipulator is established based on the modal method. Moreover, a hybrid controller integrating model predictive control (MPC) and iterative learning control (ILC) is proposed, which can simultaneously perform model parameter learning and trajectory tracking control. Experimental results show that the proposed control method can optimize the parameters of the dynamic model in real time with less iterations than the traditional model-free method and have good control performance in trajectory tracking experiments. In the future, the proposed dynamic model and the hybrid controller should be verified on a multi-section manipulator.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yicheng Dai
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Morphing Mechanisms and Adaptive Robotics, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhihao Deng
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xin Wang
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Han Yuan
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen 518055, China
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Intelligent Morphing Mechanisms and Adaptive Robotics, Shenzhen 518055, China
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Dynamic Modeling and Robust Adaptive Sliding Mode Controller for Marine Cable-Driven Parallel Derusting Robot. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12126137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Ship derusting has the characteristics of a complex operation environment, high labor intensity and low efficiency. In order to better cope with this situation, a new type of cable-driven parallel derusting robot (CDPDR) is proposed in this article. To improve the positioning accuracy and anti-interference capacity of the motion platform where the end effector is mounted, the system’s dynamic model, considering wave excitation, is established. Further, the controllable workspace and cable tension optimization algorithm are studied. In addition, a fast non-singular terminal sliding-mode controller is designed. Meanwhile, the adaptive technique is used to estimate the disturbance upper bound. Then, the Lyapunov theory is applied to prove the stability of the system. Finally, the performance of the controller is verified by high-fidelity simulations in two different scenarios. The results show that the proposed controller can converge in finite time and maintain small error under multiple external disturbances. The relevant research in this article can provide theoretical guidance for the application of CDPDRs on ships.
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Sefati S, Hegeman R, Iordachita I, Taylor RH, Armand M. A Dexterous Robotic System for Autonomous Debridement of Osteolytic Bone Lesions in Confined Spaces: Human Cadaver Studies. IEEE T ROBOT 2022; 38:1213-1229. [PMID: 35633946 PMCID: PMC9138669 DOI: 10.1109/tro.2021.3091283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
This article presents a dexterous robotic system for autonomous debridement of osteolytic bone lesions in confined spaces. The proposed system is distinguished from the state-of-the-art orthopedics systems because it combines a rigid-link robot with a continuum manipulator (CM) that enhances reach in difficult-to-access spaces often encountered in surgery. The CM is equipped with flexible debriding instruments and fiber Bragg grating sensors. The surgeon plans on the patient’s preoperative computed tomography and the robotic system performs the task autonomously under the surgeon’s supervision. An optimization-based controller generates control commands on the fly to execute the task while satisfying physical and safety constraints. The system design and controller are discussed and extensive simulation, phantom and human cadaver experiments are carried out to evaluate the performance, workspace, and dexterity in confined spaces. Mean and standard deviation of target placement are 0.5 and 0.18 mm, and the robotic system covers 91% of the workspace behind an acetabular implant in treatment of hip osteolysis, compared to the 54% that is achieved by conventional rigid tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahriar Sefati
- Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
| | - Rachel Hegeman
- Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
| | - Iulian Iordachita
- Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
| | - Russell H Taylor
- Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218 USA
| | - Mehran Armand
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, The Johns Hopkins Medical School, Baltimore, MD 21205 USA
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Garcia L, Kerns G, O'Reilley K, Okesanjo O, Lozano J, Narendran J, Broeking C, Ma X, Thompson H, Njapa Njeuha P, Sikligar D, Brockstein R, Golecki HM. The Role of Soft Robotic Micromachines in the Future of Medical Devices and Personalized Medicine. MICROMACHINES 2021; 13:28. [PMID: 35056193 PMCID: PMC8781893 DOI: 10.3390/mi13010028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Developments in medical device design result in advances in wearable technologies, minimally invasive surgical techniques, and patient-specific approaches to medicine. In this review, we analyze the trajectory of biomedical and engineering approaches to soft robotics for healthcare applications. We review current literature across spatial scales and biocompatibility, focusing on engineering done at the biotic-abiotic interface. From traditional techniques for robot design to advances in tunable material chemistry, we look broadly at the field for opportunities to advance healthcare solutions in the future. We present an extracellular matrix-based robotic actuator and propose how biomaterials and proteins may influence the future of medical device design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lourdes Garcia
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Genevieve Kerns
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Kaitlin O'Reilley
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Omolola Okesanjo
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jacob Lozano
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jairaj Narendran
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Conor Broeking
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Xiaoxiao Ma
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Hannah Thompson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Preston Njapa Njeuha
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Drashti Sikligar
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Reed Brockstein
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Holly M Golecki
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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