Medical Robotics
Researchers: Ellen Yi Chen and Jillian Oliveira
Overview
As tools, sensors, and requirements for many visual diagnostic and minimally invasive medical procedures become more complex, the basic endoscope platform used as the workhorse for these procedures also needs to evolve. Endoscopes have not only been used for traditional colonoscopies but have have been adapted for use in natural orifice translumenal endoscopic surgery (NOTES), minimally invasive surgeries, and several other novel procedures. Each of these procedures requires (or can benefit from) assisted tool positioning, closed-loop position control, feature tracking and image stabilization, built-in force limits, and haptic feedback.
Our research at the BioInstrumentation Lab focuses on innovations for next-generation medical robotics applied to endoscopes. This includes actuator design for tip-driven robotic endoscope designs, modular architectures, electronics design and sensor design. Modelling and controlling these systems helps improve the performance of these systems and provides a testbed for additional innovations.
Publications
- Chen, Y., Oliveira, J. M., and Hunter, I. W., "Sensor Architecture for a Two-Actuator Robotic Endoscope Tip." in 33rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 8340-8343, 2011. [1]
- Oliveira, J. M., Chen, Y., and Hunter, I. W., "Robotic Endoscope Motor Module and Gearing Design" in 33rd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 7380-7383, 2011. [2]
- Chen, Y., Tanaka, S., and Hunter, I. W., "Disposable Endoscope Tip Actuation Design and Robotic Platform," in the Proceedings of the 32nd Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, 2279-2282, 2010. [3]