Preliminary design of an 7 DOF robotic manipulator positioning biopsy needle

Abstract

Research in the field of medical robotics has advanced in last couple decades but it is still lacking in many areas such as radiology and diagnostics. In this research paper a robotic manipulator design for performing biopsy with the guidance of CT scan image is introduced. The prime objective here is to design a robotic manipulator that can manoeuvre on a CT machine without colliding with the machine or the human lying on the CT bed. Biopsy needle should be the only part of this manipulator intervening with the human body. The robotic model designed here has 7 degrees of freedom. DH parameters of the robotic model is devised and these parameters are validated by generating a kinematic model of the robotic manipulator with desired joint motions in Matlab software. Transformation matrix of the biopsy needle with respect to the base of the robotic model is formulated. 3D design of the robotic model is generated in Solidworks 2016 software. Simulation study of the motion of each joints is done in a simulated medical environment using a model of CT scan machine, bed and a human body placed on the bed. Collision detection feature of solidworks was activated while simulating to check whether the robotic manipulator model was colliding with the CT machine or the human body.