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Physics-Informed Modeling and Control of Multi-Actuator Soft Catheter Robots
Seyede Fatemeh Ghoreishi1, Ryan D Sochol2, Dheeraj Gandhi3
1Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Khoury College of Computer Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, United States.
Frontiers in Robotics and AI
|January 31, 2022
Summary
This study introduces a new model for multi-actuator soft catheter robots to improve navigation in complex vascular structures. This robotic catheter system enhances precision for endovascular procedures, reducing failures and improving patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Medical Robotics
- Biomedical Engineering
- Vascular Surgery
Background:
- Catheter-based endovascular procedures are minimally invasive, leading to increased adoption.
- Vessel tortuosity and angulation present significant challenges in catheter navigation and are common causes of endovascular procedure failure.
- Effective catheter maneuverability is crucial for successful intravascular navigation and reaching target sites.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a dynamic model for multi-actuator soft catheter robots.
- To create an optimization-based framework for guiding catheters through complex vasculature to target locations like aneurysms.
- To provide a simulation tool for pre-procedural catheter selection and design optimization.
Main Methods:
- Modeling the dynamics of multi-actuator soft catheter robots using a time-dependent approach.
- Developing an optimization-based framework to control catheter movement along a desired trajectory.
- Simulating catheter deflection and trajectory tracking within a vascular model.
Main Results:
- The proposed framework successfully models soft catheter robot dynamics and control.
- The optimization-based approach enables efficient and scalable guidance of catheters through simulated arterial pathways.
- Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of multi-actuator soft catheters for navigating small and tortuous vessels.
Conclusions:
- Multi-actuator soft catheter robots offer enhanced maneuverability for challenging endovascular navigation.
- The developed modeling and control framework can aid in selecting and designing optimal catheter systems.
- This approach has the potential to improve the success rates of endovascular procedures by addressing navigation difficulties.
