Test of Tracing Performance with an Active Handheld Micromanipulator

Abstract

This paper demonstrates tremor compensation for human subjects using an active handheld micromanipulator. This instrument uses optical and inertial sensing to detect its own motion, estimates tremor using linear filtering, and a flexure-based manipulator to actuate the tip. Compensation results while tracing a line with the tool are presented for both novice users and a trained surgeon. Learning effects from repetition of the trials over a ten-day period are described.

Micron: An Actively Stabilized Handheld Tool for Microsurgery

“…In order to separate the perceptual depth error from the horizontal position error, the analysis rotated the data so that the Z axis was parallel to the microscope view. Because experiments with an earlier prototype of Micron exhibited a learning curve [38], each subject did the experiment 6 times to allow time for convergence. Data from sessions 4 through 6 were pooled and ANOVA was used to determine the statistical significance of the results.…”

“…Although the Micron approach is intuitively appealing and reasonably obvious, so far as we know the only such systems to reach the stage of implementation are the various versions of Micron [36–38] and its descendant “ITrem” [39]. This is likely due to the considerable engineering challenges of achieving adequate performance in the manipulator and position measurement subsystems.…”

Keeping surgeons in the loop: are handheld robotics the best path towards more autonomous actions? (A comparison of complete vs. handheld robotic hepatectomy for colorectal liver metastases)

“…Unlike laparoscopic surgery, microsurgery involves forces that are imperceptible to humans, and because of this the learning curve for eye surgery can be much longer, taking up to 10 years to master certain procedures. Forces only measure 1 N in eye surgery, which is several folds less than that seen in laparoscopy, and when using this technology researchers were able to measure down to forces of a millinewton [53] . This perhaps explains why eye surgeons have embraced HR more so than general surgeons.…”

Monocular Vision-Based Retinal Membrane Peeling With a Handheld Robot

“…Ninety-six trials were conducted in total, in sessions of 16 trials, one session per day. Because previous experiments have demonstrated that a training period is needed in order for surgeons to obtain the best results with Micron [14], the first 48 trials were used for training, and the last 48 trials for testing. There were 16 peeling trials in each session with two test conditions: eight aided by the virtual fixture, and the other eight unaided or freehand.…”