Preparation of biological samples for further processing or analysis is generally performed manually by means of standard mechanical tools such as scalpels or biopsy punches. While this approach is uncomplicated and swift, it entails constraints such as low, operator-dependent cutting accuracy and reproducibility. Tissue segments surrounding the cut may further suffer mechanical and thermal damage due to shear forces and friction between tool and sample. These hindrances affect procedures both in the laboratory environment as well as within clinical settings. A system has been developed leveraging robotic positioning and laser light for precise, controlled, and contactless tissue ablation, and providing a concise and intuitive graphical user interface. Additionally, sterility of the process is demonstrated, a paramount element for clinical application. The proposed process does not require sterilization of the robotic components or the lasers, easing a prospective integration into existing workflows. In the context of this work, mainly cartilage repair surgery is targeted. The proposed system allows for highly accurate and reproducible shaping of the cartilage lesion area as well as its corresponding engineered cartilage graft, possibly leading to better and faster integration at the defect site. Promising results could be obtained in a first test series with human cartilage samples, validating the functionality of the preparation system and the feasibility of the sterility concept.
We are developing a robotic system for future application in minimally invasive laser osteotomy. This paper presents the mechanical system concept as a macro-milli-micro system and focuses on designing and evaluating the milli-system. The millisystem consists of an articulated tendon-driven robotic endoscope with seven rigid links with an outer diameter of 8 mm connected by six discrete rotational joints (±30 • ). These joints can be controlled individually, however, controlling one joint's motion influences all joints located more distally, making joint control an interesting challenge. Controlling each joint as desired will allow positioning the micro-system mounted at the endoscope's tip. The micro-system is itself a robot that will accurately position the laser. The robotic endoscope incorporates a hollow core with a diameter of 4.8 mm that holds a supply channel for the micro-system with the necessary means for actuation and surgical intervention. We demonstrated the functionality of the robotic endoscope in tracking experiments. Despite the joints' mutual influence, the articulated robotic endoscope could be handled successfully and achieved an angular settling error of less than 1 • in the individual joints. The overall robotic system's functionality was successfully demonstrated with a time-synchronized joint movement of the macro-system (serial manipulator) and the robotic endoscope.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.