Dual Mode pHRI-teleHRI Control System with a Hybrid Admittance-Force Controller for Ultrasound Imaging

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Medical Imaging
• Human-Robot Interaction

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated physical distancing, impacting in-person medical procedures like ultrasound (US) imaging.
• Existing tele-operation systems for remote procedures often require expensive robotic setups for haptic feedback, increasing complexity and cost.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a cost-effective and user-friendly dual-mode system for remote ultrasound imaging.
• To reduce the complexity of tele-operation systems by eliminating the need for a remote robot and utilizing audio feedback.

Main Methods:

• A novel hybrid admittance-force controller was designed for a dual-mode physical human-robot interaction (pHRI)-teleHRI control system.
• The system utilizes a tracking camera on the remote side instead of a robot, with audio feedback replacing traditional haptic feedback.
• The system allows seamless online switching between control modes.

Main Results:

• The custom-designed hybrid controller significantly enhanced task performance in both control modes.
• Experimental verification confirmed the sufficiency of audio feedback as a replacement for haptic feedback.
• The system successfully enabled remote ultrasound imaging, adhering to physical distancing policies.

Conclusions:

• The developed low-cost tele-ultrasound system effectively supports remote medical imaging during physical distancing.
• The system's adaptability extends to other applications like tele-healthcare, palpation, and auscultation, offering a versatile solution beyond pandemic scenarios.