Chapter 6 - Handheld flexible robot with concentric tubes aiming for intraocular procedures

Abstract

As intraocular surgery progressed, the tools in use have shrunk in size, from 20- to 25-gauge and beyond. The reduction in light intensity caused by this has pushed light pipe advancement in the direction of brighter and brighter light sources. Despite these advances, the rigid nature of regular light pipes still limits the range of illumination, especially when dealing with ciliary bodies. This can be overcome by using a concentric tube robot to build a steerable light pipe. Such a device is useful in solving issues of orientation and alignment faced by the surgical platforms being developed or adapted for intraocular surgery, by supplying end-effector intraocular dexterity. We propose a novel flexible robot design with a concentric-tube motion generation mechanism to make them more viable for intraocular procedures. The principles behind the actuation design were identified and modified with priority placed on compactness and workspace constraints for intraocular surgery. A three-degrees-of-freedom handheld light pipe steering guide prototype with a suitable tube configuration has been proven to supply more excellent maneuverability compared to an ordinary light pipe. After the optimization of tube parameters and a kinematic model, the application as a light pipe was further evaluated.