Force calibration for an endovascular robotic system with proximal force measurement

Abstract

Surgeons, while performing manual endovascular procedures with conventional surgical tools (catheters and guidewires), experience forces on the tool outside the patient's body that are proximal to the point of actuation. Currently, most of the robotic systems for endovascular procedures use active catheters to navigate vasculature and to measure the contact forces at the distal end (tool tip). These tools are more expensive than the conventional surgical tools used in endovascular procedures. To avoid dependence on specialized devices like active catheters, we have developed a novel endovascular robotic system (ERS) that uses conventional surgical tools. Our robot can indirectly measure proximal forces and provide haptic feedback to surgeons. This paper discusses the theory, methodology, and calibration of indirect proximal force measurement. This new calibration technique is presented as a nested optimization problem that is solved using bi‐level optimization. The results of experimental validation of the new force calibration methodology are also discussed. The results show that unbiasing of the indirect force measurement by means of force calibration will allow the use of conventional tools in robotic endovascular procedures.

Remote Vascular Interventional Surgery Robotics: A Literature Review

“…Besides arranging force sensors between the transmission components, Zhou et al of Xiamen University also attempted to arrange a sensing pipe at the front of the robot, and indirectly judged the magnitude of the resistance through the squeezing that occurred between the interventional device and the sensing pipe (35). Hyo-Jeong et al of Hanyang University in South Korea (36) and Sankaran et al of the University of Illinois (37,38) measured the resistance forces based on the input current of the motors. These methods arranged sensors on the outside of the robot, or even used no sensors, to successfully measure the resistance force.…”

Remote Vascular Interventional Surgery Robotics: A Review

“…Besides arranging force sensors between the transmission components, Zhou et al of Xiamen University also tried to arrange a sensing pipe at the front of the robot and indirectly judged the magnitude of the resistance through the squeezing between the interventional device and the sensing pipe [32]. Hyo-Jeong et al of Hanyang University in South Korea [33] and Sankaran et al of the University of Illinois [34,35] measured the resistance forces by the input current of the motors. These methods arrange sensors on the outside of the robot, or even no sensors, and achieve the measurement of resistance force.…”

Remote Vascular Interventional Surgery Robotics: A Review

“…Besides arranging force sensors between the transmission components, Zhou et al of Xiamen University also tried to arrange a sensing pipe at the front of the robot and indirectly judged the magnitude of the resistance through the squeezing between the interventional device and the sensing pipe [32]. Hyo-Jeong et al of Hanyang University in South Korea [33] and Sankaran et al of the University of Illinois [34,35] measured the resistance forces by the input current of the motors. These methods arrange sensors on the outside of the robot, or even no sensors, and achieve the measurement of resistance force.…”