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Design and Control of a 1-DOF MRI Compatible Pneumatically Actuated Robot with Long Transmission Lines.
Bo Yang1, U-Xuan Tan, Alan McMillan
1Robotics, Automation, and Medical Systems (RAMS) Laboratory, Maryland Robotics Center, Institute for Systems Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA.
IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics : a Joint Publication of the IEEE Industrial Electronics Society and the ASME Dynamic Systems and Control Division
|November 8, 2011
Summary
This study developed an MRI-compatible robotic needle driver using pneumatic actuation for precise breast tumor biopsy. Sliding mode control effectively managed challenges from long pneumatic lines and friction, ensuring accurate probe positioning during radio-frequency ablation.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Medical Imaging
- Control Systems
Background:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) offers superior visualization but restricts device materials and actuators due to strong magnetic fields.
- Developing MRI-compatible robotic systems is crucial for minimally invasive procedures like breast biopsy.
- Pneumatic actuation presents a viable alternative for MRI environments, but long transmission lines introduce control complexities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and control a 1-degree-of-freedom (DOF) MRI-compatible needle driver robot.
- To achieve precise position control of a needle driver using pneumatic actuation with long transmission lines.
- To evaluate the robot's performance for breast tumor biopsy during radio-frequency ablation (RFA).
Main Methods:
- A pneumatic system model was developed, approximating long transmission lines with a first-order system with time delay.
- Sliding Mode Control (SMC) was implemented to address challenges posed by slow pneumatic dynamics and non-uniform friction.
- Three distinct SMC controllers were designed, developed, and experimentally evaluated.
Main Results:
- The developed pneumatic system and SMC controllers demonstrated satisfactory performance for precise position control.
- The needle driver robot achieved accurate targeting capability, even with long pneumatic transmission lines.
- Experiments confirmed the device's viability for MRI-guided procedures, including performance evaluation with a force sensor.
Conclusions:
- Pneumatically actuated robotic systems, controlled via SMC, are effective for MRI-guided interventions like breast biopsy.
- The use of long pneumatic transmission lines successfully mitigates MRI image distortion.
- The developed needle driver robot shows promise for enhancing the precision and safety of RFA procedures.
