Development of a smart guide wire using an electrostrictive polymer: option for steerable orientation and force feedback

Abstract

The development of steerable guide wire or catheter designs has been strongly limited by the lack of enabling actuator technologies. This paper presents the properties of an electrostrive actuator technology for steerable actuation. By carefully tailoring material properties and the actuator design, which can be integrated in devices, this technology should realistically make it possible to obtain a steerable guide wire design with considerable latitude. Electromechanical characteristics are described, and their impact on a steerable design is discussed.

Influence of Plasticizers on the Electromechanical Behavior of a P(VDF‐TrFE‐CTFE) Terpolymer: Toward a High Performance of Electrostrictive Blends

“…In recent years, polymers exhibiting good electromechanical behaviors have attracted a great deal of attention due to a wide range of possible applications in various areas like haptic feedback surgery instrumentation, low‐frequency energy harvesting, actuation in micropumps, artificial muscles, flexible multifunctional sensor, and so forth …”

Effect of beta-based sterilization on P(VDF-TrFE-CFE) terpolymer for medical applications

“…Advances in new MIS method strongly depend on development of new materials that must be biocompatible and able to satisfy www.nature.com/scientificreports www.nature.com/scientificreports/ new biomedical requirements. In our recent work, we have shown high potential of soft electroactive polymer for cardiovascular application in steering smart guidewire 8 . The result demonstrated a possibility of controlling the miniaturized actuator inside arteries and/or veins, thanks to high bending angle of the flexible material that was driven by very low applied voltage.…”

“…To create electrical connection, a center electrode is made from conducive Carbon grease that is properly filled up the tube. Two identical outer electrodes with semicircular shape are sputtered on the surface of a cylindrical EAP, allowing the smart guidewire to bend in both directions 8,9 . Two gaps separating these two electrode is drawn to avoid short-circuit.…”

“…Electroactive polymers (EAPs) have recently attracted a great deal of researcher interest because of their fascinating properties and high potential in medical application, particularly for active catheters or guidewire designs [4][5][6][7] . In previous studies, we demonstrated the feasibility of P(VDF-TrFE-CFE/CTFE) terpolymer to create a new generation of intravascular steerable guidewires 8,9 . Several advantages of the developed polymers are easy preparation, simple process, and high bending angle under relatively low input voltages, which makes them suitable materials for future generations of active guidewires.…”

Enhanced Figures of Merit for a High-Performing Actuator in Electrostrictive Materials

“…Normally, any dielectric material is electrostrictive by nature, but strain/stress effects are more pronounced in some materials [ 4 ]. Among them, polymers are an interesting class due to their flexibility, light weight, and high permittivity, leading to the generation of considerable strain, which can be very promising in various actuator applications, like micro-pumps [ 5 ], haptic devices [ 6 ], smart guidewires for medical instruments [ 7 ], and so on. Nevertheless, the electrical fields required to reach significant deformations are relatively high (hundreds of V/μm) [ 8 ].…”