Current Projects:
We
are
developing
continuously
flexible
tentacle-like
medical
robots
that
can
"turn corners" inside the human body. These active cannulas are
made
from precurved superelastic tubes, and change shape as tubes are
extended and rotated at their bases. We expect the small diameter and
dexterity of active cannulas to enable them to reach previously
inoperable diseases while minimizing damage to healthy tissue.
Using
active
cannulas
as
miniature
manipulators, we are developing a system for transnasal
skull base surgery. The system is a teleoperated robot that functions
conceptually similarly to the da Vinci surgical system, but uses
miniature arms the diameter of a needle that have "tentacle-like"
dexterity, because they consist of active cannulas. These
capabilities are required for removing tumors in challenging locations
in the head via the narrow opening of the nose.
We
are
developing
bone-attached
parallel robots for use in percutaneous
cochlear Implantation, and other procedures that require highly
accurate
image-guided drilling or electrode placement in the skull. The
robot is anchored to the bone and registered to the anatomy. It
then acts as a drill guide causing the surgical drill to pass through a
~2mm window between bone-embedded nerves to access the cochlea. The
robot then serves as a mounting platform for a second robot that
inserts the cochlear implant electrode. This system reduces
invasiveness and enhances patient safety when compared to traditional
free-hand bone milling and electrode insertion.
Steerable
needles
can
be
guided
through
curved
paths
inside
the human body,
avoiding delicate structures to accurately reach the desired target.
This could enhance many procedures, including chemotherapy,
radiotherapy, biopsy collection, and tumor ablation, In contrast
to active cannulas which employ multiple tubes, steerable needles bend
by harnessing tip-tissue interaction forces.
We
are
developing
interventional
pill-sized
swallowable
robots.
Current
commercial
swallowable
"camera
pills" are purely diagnostic devices,
and cannot fix the problems they see, or ensure that they see all
problems that exist. Our robotic capsules can position and orient
themselves, and we are developing interventional tooling for them. This
work is a collaborative project with the CRIM
lab, SSSA, Italy.
The Active Cannula
We
are
developing
continuously
flexible
tentacle-like
medical
robots
that
can
"turn corners" inside the human body. These active cannulas are
made
from precurved superelastic tubes, and change shape as tubes are
extended and rotated at their bases. We expect the small diameter and
dexterity of active cannulas to enable them to reach previously
inoperable diseases while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Robotic Skull Base Surgery
Using
active
cannulas
as
miniature
manipulators, we are developing a system for transnasal
skull base surgery. The system is a teleoperated robot that functions
conceptually similarly to the da Vinci surgical system, but uses
miniature arms the diameter of a needle that have "tentacle-like"
dexterity, because they consist of active cannulas. These
capabilities are required for removing tumors in challenging locations
in the head via the narrow opening of the nose.Percutaneous Cochlear Implantation
We
are
developing
bone-attached
parallel robots for use in percutaneous
cochlear Implantation, and other procedures that require highly
accurate
image-guided drilling or electrode placement in the skull. The
robot is anchored to the bone and registered to the anatomy. It
then acts as a drill guide causing the surgical drill to pass through a
~2mm window between bone-embedded nerves to access the cochlea. The
robot then serves as a mounting platform for a second robot that
inserts the cochlear implant electrode. This system reduces
invasiveness and enhances patient safety when compared to traditional
free-hand bone milling and electrode insertion. Steerable Needles
Steerable
needles
can
be
guided
through
curved
paths
inside
the human body,
avoiding delicate structures to accurately reach the desired target.
This could enhance many procedures, including chemotherapy,
radiotherapy, biopsy collection, and tumor ablation, In contrast
to active cannulas which employ multiple tubes, steerable needles bend
by harnessing tip-tissue interaction forces.Endoscopic Capsule Robots
We
are
developing
interventional
pill-sized
swallowable
robots.
Current
commercial
swallowable
"camera
pills" are purely diagnostic devices,
and cannot fix the problems they see, or ensure that they see all
problems that exist. Our robotic capsules can position and orient
themselves, and we are developing interventional tooling for them. This
work is a collaborative project with the CRIM
lab, SSSA, Italy.Laparoscopic Surface
Scanning for Image Registration
The
challenge
in
making
effective
use
of
preoperative
medical
images
(CT, MRI, etc.) during
surgery is in determining the 3D coordinates inside the physical
patient of features seen in the images. Surgeons currently do this in
their heads, implying that the process is completely dependent on
surgical skill, experience and hand-eye coordination. We seek to
provide objective and highly accurate information to the surgeon,
effectively producing "x-ray vision", by scanning the tissue surface
with a laser system. This work is a collaborative project with Bob
Galloway's Center for Technology Guided Therapy.Educational Haptics
We
are
investigating
use
of
haptics
(the
sense
of touch mediated through
robots or other electromechanical devices) to (1) teach visually
impaired students about graphical and mathematical concepts that are
usually taught exclusively visually, and (2) to all students – not just
the visually impaired – about dynamic systems, giving them hands-on
insights into the concepts they learn about in the classroom. Our work
in the former involves use of a vibratory/auditory touch screen to
convey shapes, points, lines, and curves through touch and sound. Our
work on the latter involves the use of haptic paddles, low-cost
force-feedback haptic devices that are ideal for “feeling” a virtual
dynamic system. Image-Guided
Needle
Placement
It
has
been
demonstrated
that
robotic
needle
placement
accuracy
exceeds
human hand-eye coordination, and treatment effectiveness is in
generally
highly correlated to accuracy. However, despite the clear
advantages, clinical implementation of needle placement robots is
hindered by their complexity and cost. Our research is aimed at
addressing these factors through improved mechanical and algorithmic
design.Robot-Assisted
Surgical
Machining
The
first
adaptation
of
robots
to
surgery
was
in
bone-shaping in the limbs
(e.g. knee and hip replacement surgery). We are now advancing these
techniques to more challenging scenarios, including skull-base drilling
and milling. Since the bit is often within a millimeter
of brain tissue, such applications present a challenge for robots. We
are working to create image-guided robot systems that are highly
accurate and safe. Previous Projects:
| Haptic
Slip Display Tactile display of incipient slip, useful for manipulating delicate objects with a teleoperated robotic system. |
 |
| Haptic
Scissors Scissors that make virtual tissue feel real. One component of a surgical "flight simulator" for training and preoperative planning. |
 |
| The
Electronic Ballboy Tennis ball capture and retrieval with a camera-mobile robot system. |
 |
| Inchworm Pipecrawler A pneumatic tethered robot designed for pipe inspection in radioactive environments. |
 |
| Novel
Actuators An electrolytically actuated silicone Bourdon tube. |
 |