Vision-based fluid-type tactile sensor for measurements on biological tissues

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Medical Device Technology
• Sensor Development

Background:

• Accurate measurement of biological tissue properties like hardness, dimensions, and location is crucial for effective electronic palpation.
• Existing methods may lack the simplicity or sensitivity required for detailed analysis of heterogeneous substances within elastic bodies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel, fluid-type tactile sensor for measuring the size, depth, and hardness of heterogeneous substances within elastic bodies.
• To demonstrate the sensor's capability in applications such as medical diagnostics, using breast cancer dummies as a model.

Main Methods:

• The sensor utilizes an image sensor, LED lights, and a translucent water-filled touchpad.
• Analysis of the light intensity field within the touchpad allows for the estimation of the touchpad's shape, which conforms to the contacted object.
• The system measures the hardness of elastic bodies and the dimensions of internal substances.

Main Results:

• The developed sensor successfully measured the size and depth of heterogeneous substances within elastic bodies.
• The sensor effectively determined the hardness of the elastic bodies.
• Validation using breast cancer dummies confirmed the proposed approach's effectiveness.

Conclusions:

• The novel fluid-type tactile sensor provides a simple and effective method for characterizing elastic bodies and internal structures.
• This technology holds promise for advancing electronic palpation protocols and improving diagnostic capabilities in various medical fields.