Bio-Mechatronics

Contributions

• Modeling, parametric design, and performance assessment of the forceps-driver and the scissors-driver applied to the microsurgical robot system as the end-effectors. 

• Experimental evaluation on the practical applicability of the shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator for implementation of motorized surgical instruments. 

• Practical application of the proposed end-effectors to the robot-assisted microsurgery of epineurium windowing on the peripheral nerve of small animal subjects.

• Demonstration of the success of epineurium windowing performed with the proposed devices based on the nerve fiber visualization result. 

Contributions

• Implementation of the tele-operated forceps-driver equipped with a tiny force sensor module functioning to measure the gripping-force applied to the gripped-object. 

• Development of the novel master device enabling the surgeon to tele-operate the forceps-driver intuitively and to feel the gripped-object based on haptic feedback. 

• Design of the variable stiffness module by utilizing the diaphragm flexures and the wire-type SMA actuator. 

• Control of the tele-operated surgical system consisting of the forceps-driver as a slave device and the variable stiffness module as the haptic feedback master device. 

Contributions

• Development of the miniature gripper being capable of manipulating the fine biological tissues based on the new concept to use the suction force. 

• Utilization of the wire-type SMA actuators as the active-microneedles for improving the gripping ability. 

• Performance verification based on practical in-vivo surgery with the neurosurgical robot platform.