3D force control for robotic-assisted beating heart surgery based on viscoelastic tissue model.

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Surgical Technology

Background:

• Cardiac surgery is challenged by heart beating motion, hindering delicate surface operations even with mechanical stabilizers.
• Existing motion compensation methods for robotic-assisted beating heart surgery lack focus on force control.
• Organ tissue-robotic instrument interaction's viscoelasticity complicates force control, unlike simpler elastic models in other fields.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and present a novel three-dimensional force control method for robotic-assisted beating heart surgery.
• To account for the complex viscoelastic interaction properties between robotic instruments and beating heart tissue.
• To evaluate the performance of the proposed force control method in a realistic surgical context.

Main Methods:

• Development of a three-dimensional force control strategy specifically designed for beating heart environments.
• Integration of viscoelastic interaction models into the force control system.
• Performance evaluation using a D2M2 robot and real-time 3D heart beating motion data from the Da Vinci™ system.

Main Results:

• Demonstration of a functional 3D force control method for robotic-assisted beating heart surgery.
• Successful incorporation of viscoelastic tissue properties into the control algorithm.
• Validation of the system's performance through experimental studies using advanced robotic and imaging technologies.

Conclusions:

• The presented 3D force control method effectively addresses the challenges of heart motion and tissue viscoelasticity in robotic surgery.
• This advancement offers potential for enhanced precision and safety in delicate cardiac procedures.
• The study provides a foundation for future research in force-controlled robotic interventions on beating organs.