Disposable Fluidic Actuators for Miniature In-Vivo Surgical Robotics

Abstract

Fusion of robotics and minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has created new opportunities to develop diagnostic and therapeutic tools. Surgical robotics is advancing from externally actuated systems to miniature in-vivo robotics. However, with miniaturization of electricmotor-driven surgical robots, there comes a trade-off between the size of the robot and its capability. Slow actuation, low load capacity, sterilization difficulties, leaking electricity and transferring produced heat to tissues, and high cost are among the key limitations of the use of electric motors in in-vivo applications. Fluid power in the form of hydraulics or pneumatics has a long history in driving many industrial devices and could be exploited to circumvent these limitations. High power density and good compatibility with the invivo environment are the key advantages of fluid power over electric motors when it comes to in-vivo applications. However, fabrication of hydraulic/pneumatic actuators within the desired size and pressure range required for in-vivo surgical robotic applications poses new challenges. Sealing these types of miniature actuators at operating pressures requires obtaining very fine surface finishes which is difficult and costly. The research described here presents design, fabrication, and testing of a hydraulic/pneumatic double-acting cylinder, a limited-motion vane motor, and a balloon-actuated laparoscopic grasper. These actuators are small, seal-less, easy to fabricate, disposable, and inexpensive, thus ideal for single-use in-vivo applications. To demonstrate the ability of these actuators to drive robotic joints, they were modified and integrated in a robotic arm. The design and testing of this surgical robotic arm are presented to validate the concept of fluid-power actuators for in-vivo applications.

Hydraulic Robotic Surgical Tool Changing Manipulator

“…In Ref. [17], we have presented design and testing of a fluid-powered robotic arm using the hydraulic tool changing manipulator and novel fluidic linear and rotary actuators. Further development, verification testing (bench-top and animal testing) and validation testing (human trial study) are necessary before this work can become commercially available to the mass market.…”

A Novel Hydraulic Actuation System Utilizing Magnetorheological Fluids for Single-Port Laparoscopic Surgery Applications

“…A magnetorheological (MR) fluid-based hydraulic actuation system was proposed and investigated in this work, which aimed to improve the function of SLS instruments and enable their smart articulation. It has been reported in the literature [23] that the exploitation of conventional hydraulic actuators for miniature-size applications has been hindered by their relatively bulky components, including the multiple onboard connecting tubing system and complex control strategies. Therefore, the current hydraulic actuators, which utilize high-precision mechanical fluid valves, are too large to be directly integrated onboard SLS instruments and safely pass through a single trocar port.…”

Applications of high magnetic field in interventional medical treatment

“…Figure 7 (Color online) Color MRI images of mouse brain scanned with T 1 -T 2 combined developer [48] 非常清晰的信号 [51] . 从图8(a)中可以看出, PET的显 将作为PET的 64 Cu和作为生物靶向的RGD肽分子(精 氨酸-甘氨酸-天冬氨酸)链接其上 [52] . 通过RGD分子 [53] .…”