An Intuitive Mechanism for Position Control of the Medical Robotic Systems
Disciplines
Biomechanical Engineering | Biomedical Devices and Instrumentation
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The control and manipulation of medical robotic systems present significant challenges. They often require a steep learning curve due to the need for more intuitive control mechanisms, particularly in existing joystick designs. This project develops a novel approach to address these challenges by creating a master/slave system utilizing a twin Stewart mechanism configured as a specialized joystick with six degrees of freedom (DOF). This design enhances the intuitiveness of robot motion, enabling surgeons to control the robot's end-effector with one hand. The design objectives for the joystick emphasize six DOF, complete one-handed control, and intuitive usability within a compact workspace. A Stewart mechanism was chosen for its inherent six DOF and suitability as the master system for a soft robot. Advanced 3D printing techniques were used to manufacture the mechanism, with linear potentiometers mounted on each leg to sense displacement. An inverse kinematic model of the joystick was developed using modeling techniques. This inverse kinematic model gave the joystick position for the displacement from the potentiometers. Using this position data, a feedforward neural network was trained to obtain the joystick's position solely from the displacement data from the potentiometer. An electromagnetic tracker was used to validate the data from the neural network. Preliminary results show that the neural network can accurately calculate the joystick's position. Future work involves implementing communication between the soft robot and the joystick. The joystick's position will be monitored using an electromagnetic tracker and mapped to its bending deformation, providing feedback to the controller.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
SPCEET - Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Amir Ali Amiri Moghadam
An Intuitive Mechanism for Position Control of the Medical Robotic Systems
The control and manipulation of medical robotic systems present significant challenges. They often require a steep learning curve due to the need for more intuitive control mechanisms, particularly in existing joystick designs. This project develops a novel approach to address these challenges by creating a master/slave system utilizing a twin Stewart mechanism configured as a specialized joystick with six degrees of freedom (DOF). This design enhances the intuitiveness of robot motion, enabling surgeons to control the robot's end-effector with one hand. The design objectives for the joystick emphasize six DOF, complete one-handed control, and intuitive usability within a compact workspace. A Stewart mechanism was chosen for its inherent six DOF and suitability as the master system for a soft robot. Advanced 3D printing techniques were used to manufacture the mechanism, with linear potentiometers mounted on each leg to sense displacement. An inverse kinematic model of the joystick was developed using modeling techniques. This inverse kinematic model gave the joystick position for the displacement from the potentiometers. Using this position data, a feedforward neural network was trained to obtain the joystick's position solely from the displacement data from the potentiometer. An electromagnetic tracker was used to validate the data from the neural network. Preliminary results show that the neural network can accurately calculate the joystick's position. Future work involves implementing communication between the soft robot and the joystick. The joystick's position will be monitored using an electromagnetic tracker and mapped to its bending deformation, providing feedback to the controller.