Haptic Shared Control Framework with Interaction Force Constraint Based on Control Barrier Function for Teleoperation

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Automation
• Ophthalmic Surgery
• Control Systems Engineering

Background:

• Teleoperated robotic systems for retinal surgery lack precise control over tool-tissue interaction forces, posing a risk of patient injury.
• Current systems may not adequately prevent surgeon errors leading to adverse outcomes during delicate procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a haptic shared control framework to improve the safety of teleoperated retinal surgery.
• To ensure interaction forces remain within safe limits during robotic-assisted ophthalmic procedures.
• To enhance surgeon situational awareness and reduce misjudgment through haptic feedback.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a force-constrained supervisory controller utilizing Control Barrier Functions (CBFs) and an interaction model.
• Modification of teleoperated inputs to maintain safe interaction forces at the slave robot's end-effector.
• Integration of haptic feedback from the master robot to the surgeon.

Main Results:

• Simulated membrane peeling experiments demonstrated the framework's effectiveness in a controlled intraocular surgical environment.
• The proposed control framework significantly reduced the rate of force constraint violations.
• Non-expert users operating the teleoperated system benefited from the enhanced safety features.

Conclusions:

• The haptic shared control framework effectively enhances safety in teleoperated retinal surgery by constraining interaction forces.
• CBF-based supervisory control offers a robust method for ensuring safety without requiring the robot's dynamic model.
• Haptic feedback improves surgeon performance and reduces the risk of errors in delicate ophthalmic procedures.