Forceps Manipulator Research Articles

Development of Integrated Leader Controller for Forceps/Retractor Manipulation in Single-Port Water-Filled Laparo-Endoscopic Surgery

Single-port water-filled laparo-endoscopic surgery (WaFLES) is a surgical procedure used for treatment in an environment filled with isotonic water in the abdominal cavity under a single-port condition. In this study, we developed two leader controllers for the forceps manipulator and retractor to generate and maintain a surgical workspace for a single-port WaFLES support robot. The development of the specific controller for each device increased the operation time and complicated the motion, such as regripping. We integrated the two functions as a controller to prevent the problem above. We performed grasping and retracting tasks in the virtual surgical workspace to evaluate the proposed controller. Based on the experimental results, we clarified the effect on the operation time by a different mechanism and observed that arranging the switch decreased the operation time. In addition, one of the proposed leader controllers improved operability in terms of operation time during selection and switching from the retractor to the forceps manipulator. However, the arrangement of the switch could adversely affect controller operability when switching from a simple operation (requiring only position control during retractor operation) to a complex operation (requiring both position and posture control during forceps operation). Furthermore, manipulation errors were observed using either of the proposed controllers. Therefore, the sensing procedure of the controller should be improved by addressing these errors in software and hardware.

Surgical assistant manipulator with diagonal joints and multi-stage telescopic screws for laparoscopic solo surgery.

A surgeon in a sterilized area can perform robotically assisted laparoscopic solo surgery while controlling a laparoscope-holding robot for view stabilization and a forceps robot for pulling organs. At present, no locally operated surgical assistant manipulator with a mechanical remote center of motion (RCM) is available to operate within a small space while providing a wide range of movement. The present study describes a new locally operated detachable end-effector manipulator (LODEM) with diagonal joints and multi-stage telescopic screws. A forceps manipulator attached to commercial surgical forceps was developed. This manipulator uses RCM diagonal joints for the yaw and pitch axes, providing an intuitive pivot point and free rotation, and telescopic nested screws with multiple sliders clamp the commercial forceps for the axis of insertion. The manipulator placed above the abdominal wall using a fixed arm connected to a bed rail is motor controlled by a handheld interface with button switches for precise traction and is controlled manually for easy rough positioning. Positional accuracy at the tip with a load of 5N was under 0.5mm. Mechanical deflection was under 2.1mm. The manually controlled force was under 4.4N. Successful simulated laparoscopic cholecystectomy using the prototype manipulator to handle the target and maintain stability was performed on a surgically realistic gallbladder model. A LODEM with diagonal joints and multi-stage telescopic screws was developed to facilitate minimally invasive, robotically assisted laparoscopic solo surgery by a surgeon working near the patient. This electric motor-controlled laparoscopic instrument holder by the surgeon in the surgical field could be used for such applications.

Forceps Manipulator with Differential Mechanism using Slider crank and Parallel link

Forceps Manipulator with Differential Mechanism using Slider crank and Parallel link

A pneumatic rotary actuator for forceps tip rotation

In this study, we propose a small rotary actuator mounted on the tip of a forceps manipulator for laparoscopic surgery. The proposed actuator comprises a soft actuator (SA) and a cylindrical cam mechanism that converts linear motion into rotary motion. The SA is made from silicone and driven pneumatically. Therefore, it is lightweight, inexpensive, and highly biocompatible. Using an SA, the entire rotary actuator can be made lighter and smaller. In addition, the actuator has the advantage of easy sterilization and disposability due to the absence of electrical parts in it. Furthermore, using air as the power source, one can control the rotation angle with only a simple control that is not affected by the forceps posture. In this study, we developed a prototype of the SA and measured its basic characteristics. Subsequently, we mounted the SA on the proposed rotary actuator and confirmed the basic characteristics of the actuator through cyclic motion and force measurement experiments. As a result of the experiments, a rotational angle of 70° or more was measured and the target motion range was achieved. In addition, we confirmed that the rotary actuator exerted a maximum torque of 3.0 N mm, which was sufficient for the needling task on a silicone seat.

Forceps Manipulator with Gimbal-Parallel Link and Belt-Pulley Mechanism

Forceps Manipulator with Gimbal-Parallel Link and Belt-Pulley Mechanism

Forceps Manipulator with Rack Gear and Gear Train Mechanism

Forceps Manipulator with Rack Gear and Gear Train Mechanism

Forceps Manipulator with Diagonal Joint Mechanism

Forceps Manipulator with Diagonal Joint Mechanism

Portable Forceps Manipulator with Closed Loop Mechanism using Gimbal-mounted Parallel Linkage for Endoscopic Surgery

Portable Forceps Manipulator with Closed Loop Mechanism using Gimbal-mounted Parallel Linkage for Endoscopic Surgery

Stepping Motor Driven 5-DOFs Forceps Manipulator with Differential Mechanism using Linear Guides

Stepping Motor Driven 5-DOFs Forceps Manipulator with Differential Mechanism using Linear Guides

Forceps Manipulator with Circular Ring Guided Rail and Linear Guide Roller

Forceps Manipulator with Circular Ring Guided Rail and Linear Guide Roller

Motion Analysis of Forceps Manipulator with Multi-Joint for Surgery Support

Motion Analysis of Forceps Manipulator with Multi-Joint for Surgery Support

Proposal of Forceps Manipulator with 5 DOFs for Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery

Proposal of Forceps Manipulator with 5 DOFs for Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery

Study of Forceps Manipulator with Multi-Joint for Surgery Support

Study of Forceps Manipulator with Multi-Joint for Surgery Support

Robotic Visible Forceps Manipulator With a Novel Linkage Bending Mechanism

In minimally invasive surgery (MIS), surgeons often suffer from occlusion region problems. It is difficult to solve these problems with traditional surgical instruments because of their size and rigid mechanical structure, such as endoscopes and corresponding operating tools. Thus, flexible manipulators and related robotic systems have been proposed for enhancing intraoperative inspection and surgical operation in MIS. Although a variety of flexible manipulators using different mechanisms have been developed, most of them are designed with a single function. In this paper, we present the concept of visible forceps that enriches the forceps function, which realizes the flexible bending capability and high output force, as well as the integrated endoscopic function. We developed a novel simplified linkage bending mechanism for forceps with a bendable tip and fabricated a robotic visible forceps manipulator system. According to this prototype, we performed experiments to evaluate the mechanical performance and the abdominal phantom test to evaluate the feasibility and usefulness. Preliminary results show that the forceps manipulator can realize both flexible bending capability and high output force, which implies promising applications in future MIS.

Locally operated master-slave control system with mechanically separable portable device and forceps manipulator for endoscopic surgery

Locally operated master-slave control system with mechanically separable portable device and forceps manipulator for endoscopic surgery

Visible forceps manipulator with novel linkage bending mechanism for neurosurgery.

In minimally invasive surgery (MIS), especially the neurosurgery, surgeons often suffer from occlusion region problem. Common surgical instruments, like endoscope and corresponding operating tools, are hard to solve it due to their size and rigid mechanical structure. In this paper, we present a visible forceps manipulator with novel linkage bending mechanism, which realizes the flexible bending capability and high output force, as well as the integrated endoscopic function. We present the simplified experiment to evaluate the results of mechanical performance and brain phantom test to evaluate feasibility and usefulness in neurosurgery. Preliminary results show that phantom experiments using the brain phantom verify the feasibility of the novel manipulator.

Compact forceps manipulator with a spherical-coordinate linear and circular telescopic rail mechanism for endoscopic surgery.

By integrating locally operated small surgical robots in a sterilized area, a surgeon can perform safe and accurate robotically assisted laparoscopic surgery. At present, there is no locally operated compact forceps robot that can operate within a small space while providing a wide working area on the abdominal wall. In the present study, a new spherical-coordinate manipulator with a linear telescopic rail and two circular telescopic rails that can act as a third arm for the surgeon has been developed. A compact locally operated detachable end-effector manipulator (LODEM) was developed. This manipulator uses circular telescopic rails with linkage mechanisms for the yaw and pitch axes, and a linear telescopic rail for the insertion/extraction axis is attached to forceps. The dimensions of the manipulator are [Formula: see text] when contracted and [Formula: see text] when expanded. The positional accuracy, mechanical deflection, and backlash of the prototype were evaluated while performing simulated in vivo laparoscopic surgery. The positional accuracy, deflection, and backlash of the telescopic rail mechanism were 2.1, 1.8, and 5.1mm, respectively. The manipulator could successfully handle the target and maintain stability, while the arms of the endoscope specialist were free from collisions with the manipulator during an in vivo laparoscopic surgery. A compact LODEM was designed to facilitate minimally invasive, robotically assisted laparoscopic surgery by a doctor working near the patient. This device could be used for such applications.

Forming method and characteristics of coiled spring in small coil diameter and with high rectangular ratio in winding wire cross section

This paper presents a new forming method of a coiled spring which is used as a forceps manipulator of a surgical robot. Joint parts of forceps manipulator are required to be “easy to bend and strong to twist”. This demand is fulfilled by using coiled springs with high rectangular ratio in winding wire cross section. However, the coiled springs are conventionally expensive as they are fabricated by machining. This study proposed a new and inexpensive forming method for fabrication of the coiled spring with high rectangular ratio in the wire cross section. In this method, the coiled spring with circular shape in the winding wire cross section is compressed in the coil axial direction by upsetting, and then the rectangle ratio of the wire becomes high. The coiled spring with a high rectangular ratio of 3 was obtained by the proposed method. In addition, a numerical analysis and an experiment were conducted for evaluation of the formed coiled springs in terms of tensile, torsional, and bending characteristics. The formed coiled springs were easy to bend and strong to twist from results. Moreover, the elastic limit of the formed coiled springs improved due to work hardening by upsetting.

動力伝達部が脱着可能な単孔式腹腔鏡下手術用鉗子マニピュレータの改良

In this paper, two improvements of the forceps manipulator used in the robotic surgical system for single port surgery (SPS) developed in our previous study were performed. First, the bending mechanism of the detachable forceps manipulator attached to the arm robot in the robotic surgical system for SPS was improved so as not to give a damage to the wire for actuation, in which a screw drive mechanism was employed to the improved bending mechanism. A new detachable forceps was built, and its movability was verified. Second, the parts for fixing the six-axis force/torque sensor to the forceps rod were improved, since the operated force to z-axis direction was not detected stably. New fixing parts were built, and experiments were carried out to evaluate the effectiveness of the improved fixing parts. The results showed that the operated force was detected stably in all axis directions.

先端回転機構を有する空気圧駆動鉗子マニピュレータの開発

先端回転機構を有する空気圧駆動鉗子マニピュレータの開発