A Parallel Robot With Remote Centre-of-Motion for Eye Surgery: Design, Kinematics, Prototype, and Experiments

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Ophthalmology
• Medical Engineering

Background:

• Millions of patients lack access to eye surgery due to surgeon shortages.
• Medical robots offer a potential solution to bridge this gap in surgical expertise.
• Minimally invasive techniques are crucial for reducing patient recovery times and improving surgical safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate a novel parallel robot for ophthalmic surgery.
• To design a robot with a remote center of motion for enhanced surgical maneuverability.
• To assess the robot's performance characteristics for potential clinical application.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel parallel robot prototype with a remote center of motion.
• Kinematic modeling, singularity, and workspace analyses were performed.
• Experimental testing evaluated the robot's mobility, accuracy, precision, and stiffness.

Main Results:

• The prototype robot demonstrated successful execution of required surgical motions.
• Measured precision ranged from 7 ± 2 μm to 30 ± 8 μm.
• Stiffness values ranged from 1.22 ± 0.39 N/mm to 10.53 ± 5.18 N/mm, meeting design requirements.

Conclusions:

• The developed robot shows significant potential for minimally invasive eye surgery.
• Robot stiffness is adequate for surgical tasks.
• Further enhancements in accuracy and precision are necessary for clinical viability.