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Updated: Jul 31, 2025
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Design and Implementation of a Bespoke Robotic Manipulator for Extra-corporeal Ultrasound
Published on: January 7, 2019
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Platform for investigating continuum manipulator behavior in orthopedics
Henry Phalen1, Adnan Munawar2, Amit Jain2,3
1Laboratory for Computational Sensing and Robotics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA. henry.phalen@jhu.edu.
Summary
This study introduces a new simulation platform for robotic continuum manipulators in orthopedic surgery, enhancing control and guidance for minimally invasive procedures. The physics-based approach improves bone drilling simulation and enables development of image-guided surgical techniques.
Area of Science:
- Robotics in Medicine
- Surgical Simulation
- Orthopedic Surgery
Background:
- Robotic continuum manipulators offer potential for less-invasive orthopedic procedures.
- Current simulation tools have limitations in addressing system control and intra-operative guidance for these complex robotic systems.
- Existing gaps hinder the effective use of simulations for orthopedic surgery involving continuum manipulators.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present a novel simulation platform designed to overcome limitations in current tools.
- To facilitate a better understanding and resolution of challenges in minimally invasive orthopedic surgery.
- To support the development and testing of control algorithms for robotic continuum manipulators in orthopedic applications.
Main Methods:
- Developed an open-source surgical simulation software package.
- Integrated continuum manipulator interaction with volumetric bone models derived from CT scans.
- Implemented a physics-based approach for tool-anatomy interactions, enhancing stability and applicability.
- Introduced a new method for simulating volumetric drilling, accounting for bone material variability and patient-specific properties.
Main Results:
- Demonstrated realistic interaction between simulated continuum manipulators and volumetric bone models.
- Achieved stable and broadly applicable tool-anatomy interactions through the physics-based simulation.
- Observed emergent high-level behaviors directly from improved low-level volumetric drilling simulations, reducing manual programming needs.
Conclusions:
- The simulation platform is a valuable tool for developing and investigating control algorithms, particularly for curved drilling tasks.
- Generated simulated X-ray images aid in the development and validation of image guidance models.
- Enhanced volumetric drilling capabilities allow for improved tuning of surgical simulation fidelity for specific tools and procedures.
