Endoscopy is often used to treat hydrocephalus, a common pediatric neurosurgical condition. Rigid endoscopic tools in these procedures have many limitations. In this article, we propose four novel designs for steerable two degree-of-freedom robotic tool body be deployed through rigid endoscope and handheld controller such body. Each of make use tendon-driven joints known as asymmetric notch joints, while varying tendon routing techniques. Furthermore, design compact body, which consists dc...

This article introduces the analysis and control of a meso-scale two degree-of-freedom robotic endoscopic tool body for minimally invasive surgeries. The design uses types tendon-driven joint known as bending flexure that allows us to each by minimizing interjoint coupling design. Pure kinematic modeling these robots may not provide precise performance due uncertainties arising from tendon elongation, slacking, gear backlash, etc. We propose static model joints avoids several problems....

Endovascular and endoscopic surgical procedures require micro-scale meso-scale continuum robotic tools to navigate complex anatomical structures. In numerous studies, fiber Bragg grating (FBG) based shape sensing has been used for measuring the deflection of robots on larger scales, but proved be a challenge with large deflections. this letter, we have developed sensor by mounting an FBG within micromachined nitinol tube whose neutral axis is shifted one side due machining. This shifting...

Manual navigation of a guidewire is the first step in endovascular interventions. However, this procedure time consuming with uncertain results due to tortuous vascular anatomy. This paper introduces design novel COaxially Aligned STeerable (COAST) robot that 0.40 mm diameter demonstrating variable curvature and independently controlled bending length distal end. The COAST involves three coaxially aligned tubes single tendon running centrally through robot. outer are made from micromachined...

A major advantage of surgical robots is that they can reduce the invasiveness a procedure by enabling clinician to manipulate tools as would in open surgery but through small incisions body. Neurosurgery has yet benefit from this advantage. Although clinical are available for least invasive neurosurgical procedures, such guiding electrode insertion, most brain surgeries, tumor resection, still performed manual procedures. To investigate whether robotics could surgeries while providing...

Robots have the potential to assist people in bed, such as healthcare settings, yet bedding materials like sheets and blankets can make observation of human body difficult for robots. A pressure-sensing mat on a bed provide pressure images that are relatively insensitive materials. However, prior work estimating pose from has been restricted 2D estimates flat beds. In this work, we present two convolutional neural networks estimate 3D joint positions person configurable single image. The...

In most cases of peripheral arterial disease (PAD), the operating surgeon must use a variety catheters riding on thin wire known as `guidewire'. This guidewire be manually navigated through tortuous pathway arteries to arrive at diseased area. Automation therefore reduces effort and minimizes time required for PAD procedure, but is restricted by size constraints standard guidewire. work presents design robotically actuated 2 degree-of-freedom (DoF) tip comprised joints laser micro-machined...

Manual guidewire navigation and placement for minimally invasive surgeries suffer from technical challenges due to imprecise tip motion control traverse highly tortuous vasculature. Robotically steerable guidewires can address these by actuating a compliant through multiple degrees-of-freedom maneuvering vascular pathways. In this paper, we detail the kinematic mapping of COaxially Aligned STeerable (COAST) robot that is capable executing follow-the-leader in three dimensional We also...

Minimally invasive endovascular procedures involve the manual placement of a guidewire, which is made difficult by vascular tortuosity and lack precise tip control. Steerable guidewire systems have been developed with tendon-driven, magnetic, concentric tube actuation strategies to enable control, however, selecting machining parameters for such robots does not strict procedure. In this paper, we develop systematic design procedure pairs COaxially Aligned STeerable (COAST) robot. This...

Various situations, such as injuries or long-term disabilities, can result in people receiving physical assistance while bed. We present a robotic system for bedside that consists of bed and mobile manipulator (i.e., wheeled robot with arms) work together to provide better assistance. Many assistive tasks depend on moving respect the person's body, complementary perceptual capabilities two robots help this general goal. The provides autonomy common tasks, well an interface direct...

Many tactile sensors can readily detect physical contact with an object, but recognition of the type object remains challenging. In this paper, we provide evidence that data-driven thermal sensing be used to recognize people and objects in real-world settings. We created a portable handheld device three modalities: heat-transfer sensor is actively heated, small thermally-isolated temperature sensor, force onset contact. Using device, collected data from arms 10 (3 locations on right arm) 80...

The ability to accurately model mechanical hysteretic behavior in tendon-actuated continuum robots using deep learning approaches is a growing area of interest. In this paper, we investigate the response two types and, ultimately, compare three neural network modeling with both forward and inverse kinematic mappings: feedforward (FNN), FNN history input buffer, long short-term memory (LSTM) network. We seek determine which best captures temporal dependent behavior. find that, depending on...

Reference and command governors are predictive add-on schemes that applied to closed-loop systems guarantee constraint enforcement while tracking desired reference inputs. This paper introduces two methods for using these in the presence of prioritized constraints. The first method handles case "soft" constraints by a slack variable relax second prioritizes inputs, enforcing modifying lower priority inputs first. Two examples reported consisting constrained spring-mass-damper system an F-16...

Mechanics-based models have been developed to describe the shape of tendon-actuated continuum robots. Models also concentric tube robots, i.e., nested combinations precurved superelastic tubes. While an important class robots used in endoscopic and intracardiac medical applications combines these two designs, existing do not cover this combination. Tendon-actuated are limited a single while include tendon-produced forces moments. This paper derives mechanics-based model for hybrid design...

Minimally-invasive treatments for chronic total occlusions (CTO) involve the manual routing of a guidewire under fluoroscopy. However, navigation remains clinically challenging with high rates procedural failure and trauma to vessel. In this paper, we present proof-of-concept robotic capable acquiring forward-viewing ultrasound (US) images, thereby enhancing maneuverability through complex vasculature. We statics model based on Castigliano's theorem its validation by controlling notched...

Hydrocephalus in the pediatric population is often treated with endoscopic procedures, which a rigid endoscope provides working channel and needed visualization for brain manipulation. The lack of flexible steerable tools limits ability surgeon to conduct complex operations. In this paper, we propose design novel tool such procedures that uses compliance bending flexural joint build compact multi-joint tool. These joints are machined into tube made super-elastic material create two near tip...

This paper presents a photointerrupter based force sensing mechanism to implement low-cost, high accuracy, and reliable sensor with miniaturized design. In previous literature, sensors have demonstrated reasonable performance in cost-effective manner, but narrow range of linear output are significantly susceptible external disturbances. makes it difficult use these precision measurement feedback control. this work, we present nonlinear optical model that utilizes lambertian distribution for...

Interstitial brachytherapy requires up to 20 straight needles surround and irradiate deep-seated tumors, but may offer sub-optimal radiation dosage in cases of advanced cancers. A steerable stylet can be used guide the needle within tissue, improving procedure accuracy reducing number required for each operation. This work introduces design a novel tendon-assisted magnetically steered (TAMS) robotic steer commercially available needles. The dual-actuation modality (magnetic tendon-driven)...

In-vivo tissue stiffness identification can be useful in pulmonary fibrosis diagnostics and minimally invasive tumor identification, among many other applications. In this work, we propose a palpation-based method for estimation that uses sensorized beam buckled onto the surface of tissue. Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBGs) are used our sensor as shape-estimation modality to get real-time shape, even while device is not visually monitored. A mechanical model developed predict behavior buckling...

Robotic steering mechanism can be useful in the placement of electrodes spinal cord stimulation (SCS) procedures. This article introduces an innovative and latching called ExoNav, designed for SCS electrodes. By applying magnetic locking robotic system, a noncontact stabilization is established at robot's base to reduce tendon-sheath coupling effects that are common continuum robots. A kinematic model has been developed validated predict behavior when subjected tendon actuation. To broaden...

There is a need for precision pathological sensing, imaging, and tissue manipulation in neurosurgical procedures, such as brain tumor resection. Precise margin identification resection can prevent further growth protect critical structures. Surgical lasers with small laser diameters steering capabilities allow new minimally invasive procedures by traversing through complex anatomy, then providing energy to sense, visualize, affect tissue. In this paper, we present the design of small-scale...