Integrated Sensors for Soft Medical Robotics.

Journal: Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)
Published Date: Jan 7, 2024

Abstract

Minimally invasive procedures assisted by soft robots for surgery, diagnostics, and drug delivery have unprecedented benefits over traditional solutions from both patient and surgeon perspectives. However, the translation of such technology into commercialization remains challenging. The lack of perception abilities is one of the obstructive factors paramount for a safe, accurate and efficient robot-assisted intervention. Integrating different types of miniature sensors onto robotic end-effectors is a promising trend to compensate for the perceptual deficiencies in soft robots. For example, haptic feedback with force sensors helps surgeons to control the interaction force at the tool-tissue interface, impedance sensing of tissue electrical properties can be used for tumor detection. The last decade has witnessed significant progress in the development of multimodal sensors built on the advancement in engineering, material science and scalable micromachining technologies. This review article provides a snapshot on common types of integrated sensors for soft medical robots. It covers various sensing mechanisms, examples for practical and clinical applications, standard manufacturing processes, as well as insights on emerging engineering routes for the fabrication of novel and high-performing sensing devices.

Authors

  • Yulin Qiu
    School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, The University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, 2052, Australia.
  • Aditya Ashok
    Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4067, Australia.
  • Chi Cong Nguyen
    Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia.
  • Yusuke Yamauchi
    Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland, 4067, Australia.
  • Thanh Nho Do
    Graduate School of Biomedical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
  • Hoang-Phuong Phan
    School of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia.

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