In this paper, we present the design, fabrication, and testing of a robot for automatically positioning ultrasound (US) imaging catheters. Our system will point US catheters to provide real-time imaging of anatomical structures and working instruments during minimally invasive procedures. Manually navigating US catheters is difficult and requires extensive training in order to aim the US imager at desired targets. Therefore, a four-degree-of-freedom (4DOF) robotic system was developed to automatically navigate US imaging catheters for enhanced imaging. A rotational transmission enables 3DOF for pitch, yaw, and roll of the imager. This transmission is translated by the 4DOF. An accuracy analysis calculated the maximum allowable joint motion error. Rotational joints must be accurate to within 1.5 deg, and the translational joint must be accurate within 1.4 mm. Motion tests then validated the accuracy of the robot. The average resulting errors in positioning of the rotational joints were 0.04–0.22 deg. The average measured backlash was 0.18–0.86 deg. Measurements of average translational positioning and backlash errors were negligible. The resulting joint motion errors were well within the required specifications for accurate robot motion. The output of the catheter was then tested to verify the effectiveness of the handle motions to transmit torques and translations to the catheter tip. The catheter tip was navigated to desired target poses with average error 1.3 mm and 0.71 deg. Such effective manipulation of US imaging catheters will enable better visualization in various procedures ranging from cardiac arrhythmia treatment to tumor removal in urological cases.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
October 2016
Research-Article
A Four Degree of Freedom Robot for Positioning Ultrasound Imaging Catheters
Paul M. Loschak,
Paul M. Loschak
Harvard Biorobotics Laboratory,
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: loschak@seas.harvard.edu
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: loschak@seas.harvard.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Alperen Degirmenci,
Alperen Degirmenci
Harvard Biorobotics Laboratory,
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: adegirmenci@seas.harvard.edu
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: adegirmenci@seas.harvard.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Yaroslav Tenzer,
Yaroslav Tenzer
Harvard Biorobotics Laboratory,
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: ytenzer@seas.harvard.edu
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: ytenzer@seas.harvard.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Cory M. Tschabrunn,
Cory M. Tschabrunn
Technical Director
Experimental Electrophysiology,
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine,
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Boston, MA 02215
e-mail: cory.tschabrunn@bidmc.harvard.edu
Experimental Electrophysiology,
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine,
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Boston, MA 02215
e-mail: cory.tschabrunn@bidmc.harvard.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Elad Anter,
Elad Anter
Director
Experimental Electrophysiology,
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine,
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Boston, MA 02215
e-mail: eanter@bidmc.harvard.edu
Experimental Electrophysiology,
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine,
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Boston, MA 02215
e-mail: eanter@bidmc.harvard.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Robert D. Howe
Robert D. Howe
Professor
Harvard Biorobotics Laboratory,
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: howe@seas.harvard.edu
Harvard Biorobotics Laboratory,
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: howe@seas.harvard.edu
Search for other works by this author on:
Paul M. Loschak
Harvard Biorobotics Laboratory,
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: loschak@seas.harvard.edu
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: loschak@seas.harvard.edu
Alperen Degirmenci
Harvard Biorobotics Laboratory,
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: adegirmenci@seas.harvard.edu
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: adegirmenci@seas.harvard.edu
Yaroslav Tenzer
Harvard Biorobotics Laboratory,
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: ytenzer@seas.harvard.edu
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: ytenzer@seas.harvard.edu
Cory M. Tschabrunn
Technical Director
Experimental Electrophysiology,
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine,
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Boston, MA 02215
e-mail: cory.tschabrunn@bidmc.harvard.edu
Experimental Electrophysiology,
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine,
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Boston, MA 02215
e-mail: cory.tschabrunn@bidmc.harvard.edu
Elad Anter
Director
Experimental Electrophysiology,
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine,
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Boston, MA 02215
e-mail: eanter@bidmc.harvard.edu
Experimental Electrophysiology,
Division of Cardiovascular Medicine,
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center,
Boston, MA 02215
e-mail: eanter@bidmc.harvard.edu
Robert D. Howe
Professor
Harvard Biorobotics Laboratory,
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: howe@seas.harvard.edu
Harvard Biorobotics Laboratory,
Paulson School of Engineering
and Applied Sciences,
Harvard University,
Cambridge, MA 02138
e-mail: howe@seas.harvard.edu
1Corresponding author.
Manuscript received September 20, 2015; final manuscript received December 10, 2015; published online May 4, 2016. Assoc. Editor: Venkat Krovi.
J. Mechanisms Robotics. Oct 2016, 8(5): 051016 (9 pages)
Published Online: May 4, 2016
Article history
Received:
September 20, 2015
Revised:
December 10, 2015
Connected Content
A companion article has been published:
Erratum: “A Four Degree of Freedom Robot for Positioning Ultrasound Imaging Catheters” [J. Mechanisms Robotics 8(5), 051016 (May 04, 2016); DOI: 10.1115/1.4032249]
Citation
Loschak, P. M., Degirmenci, A., Tenzer, Y., Tschabrunn, C. M., Anter, E., and Howe, R. D. (May 4, 2016). "A Four Degree of Freedom Robot for Positioning Ultrasound Imaging Catheters." ASME. J. Mechanisms Robotics. October 2016; 8(5): 051016. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4032249
Download citation file:
Get Email Alerts
Cited By
Graphic transfer matrix method for kinetostatic and dynamic analyses of compliant mechanisms
J. Mechanisms Robotics
Kinetostatic Optimization for Kinematic Redundancy Planning of Nimbl'Bot Robot
J. Mechanisms Robotics
ORIGAMI CLAW TESSELLATION AND ITS STACKED STRUCTURE
J. Mechanisms Robotics
Static Hovering Realization for Multirotor Aerial Vehicles with Tiltable Propellers
J. Mechanisms Robotics
Related Articles
Erratum: “A Four Degree of Freedom Robot for Positioning Ultrasound Imaging Catheters” [ J. Mechanisms Robotics 8(5), 051016 (May 04, 2016); DOI: 10.1115/1.4032249]
J. Mechanisms Robotics (August,2017)
Design and Kinematic Analysis of a Novel 3U P S/R P U Parallel Kinematic Mechanism With 2T2R Motion for Knee Diagnosis and Rehabilitation Tasks
J. Mechanisms Robotics (December,2017)
Design and Control of a Robotic Steering Mechanism for Electrophysiological Catheters
J. Mechanisms Robotics (February,2021)
Design Optimization of Single-Port Minimally Invasive Intervention Devices
J. Med. Devices (June,2009)
Related Proceedings Papers
Related Chapters
Practical Applications
Robust Control: Youla Parameterization Approach
Design of Fractional-Order Controllers for Nonlinear Chaotic Systems and Some Applications
Robust Adaptive Control for Fractional-Order Systems with Disturbance and Saturation
Time-Varying Coefficient Aided MM Scheme
Robot Manipulator Redundancy Resolution