Back to homepage utwente.nl
Real-Time Data Transport over Networks and Software Architectures for Robotics
Description of research
To increase quality of surgical operations and comfort of the patient during and after surgeries, this research project aims to design and build a tele-manipulation system. A robotic slave will perform the surgery while it is controlled by surgeon(s) who are behind a master. The master is able to translate the commands of the surgeons into complex movements at the slave side. Using this system minimal invasive surgery is possible, since the slave robotic system demands less space and smaller entrances in the patient. Dependability aspects, like safety and reliability, are of high importance because TeleFLEX is a medical application.
Advisor(s)
prof.dr.ir. Stefano Stramigioli
dr.ir. Jan Broenink
Duration
2009 - 2013
Project
TeleFLEX: Research of a surgical tele-manipulation system with intuitive control for new generation instruments for minimal invasive surgeries
Sponsor
PIDON
Strategic Research Orientation
DSN - Dependable Systems and Networks
Links to relevant web pages:
- |
http://www.ce.utwente.nl/RTweb/people/index.php?body=staff%20member&key=208 |
- |
- |
Pictures
ICT enables autonomous, high-quality surgery
Currently more and more tasks are automated, mainly production, monitoring or every-day tasks. But in the (near) future real complex tasks will be automated as well, like surgical operations.
A patient who requires surgery will be modeled first, all organs, cavities and other structures are put into the surgical system. The surgeon now will run simulations while using different options for the surgery, while the simulator will calculate problem areas, possible outcomes of the surgery and patient comfort. After the surgeon is satisfied with the outcome of the simulation, the simulation can be loaded into the operational system and the patient will be prepared for the surgery.
Inside the operating room, the system is performing the surgical operation steps, which are also recorded. Requesting assistance of the OR-team for tasks outside the patients, like monitoring the status of the patient or supplying operation materials like wire, needles. Meanwhile the surgeon is able to do other work, like simulating the operation for another patient. On a screen, it is possible to monitor the ongoing surgery to check if everything is as planned.
Afterwards the recorded surgery can be replayed to see whether everything was as expected and no problems occurred or were missed. The patient’s model is used for replaying the surgery, so the surgeon is able to look from all angles and distances to the different actions of the system. The results also can be compiled into an educational program and made available to surgeons in training.
This described future of surgery is not yet very near, I believe. But parts of this description are (almost) available already. Robotized surgery systems are available already, but mostly are specialized for a single task and are not autonomous. Researchers are looking for ways to build multi-purpose systems, which resulted in one system being available already. But more systems are under development and will be available in the coming years.
These systems are tele-manipulators, meaning that the surgical robot or slave is controlled from a distance by a master system. Currently, one or more surgeons control this master system, but by modifying it into a autonomous system it is able to perform surgical operation on its own.
Feeding such a system with patient data is also researched, this data could, for example, be overlaid with a real-time video feed. This could indicate zones which should be given extra care because they are delicate. Or could give information about the structural details, like softness, flexibility or tissue healthiness. Instead of using the model as an overlay it also could be used to prevent mistakes to be made, like moving the robotic arm with too much force into cavity walls. Autonomous systems could use these models for calculating things like a path to enter the operational area.
These systems will become publicly available in the near future, a lot of research is done to improve and invent such systems. The road for a complete autonomous systems is being build, but it will take a lot longer than the near future to have access to them.