An Open-Source 7-Axis, Robotic Platform to Enable Dexterous Procedures within CT Scanners

Dimitri Schreiber1, Daniel B. Shak2, Alexander M. Norbash2, Michael Yip3

  • 1University of California
  • 2University of California San Diego
  • 3UC San Diego

Details

11:00 - 11:15 | Tue 5 Nov | LG-R11 | TuAT11.1

Session: Medical Robot: Design

Abstract

This paper describes the design, manufacture, and performance of a highly dexterous, low-profile, 7 Degree-of-Freedom (DOF) robotic arm for CT-guided percutaneous needle biopsy. Direct CT guidance allows physicians to localize tumours quickly; however, needle insertion is still performed by hand. This system is mounted to a fully active gantry superior to the patient's head and teleoperated by a radiologist. Unlike other similar robots, this robot's fully serial-link approach uses a unique combination of belt and cable drives for high-transparency and minimal-backlash, allowing for an expansive working area and numerous approach angles to targets all while maintaining a small in-bore cross-section less than 16cm^2. Simulations verified the system's expansive collision free work-space and ability to hit targets across the entire chest, as required for lung cancer biopsy. Targeting error is on average