Case study on force compliant robot arm controller for nasopharyngeal swab insertion.

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Medical Technology
• Control Systems

Background:

• Nasopharyngeal (NP) swab tests are crucial for diagnosing respiratory illnesses like COVID-19.
• Current NP swab collection relies on human healthcare workers, posing exposure risks and resource demands.
• Automating NP swab collection using robotics is of significant societal interest to mitigate these challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of using a compliant control system with a rigid robotic arm for performing NP swab tests.
• To differentiate this approach from prior research that often utilized specialized hardware.
• To identify the strengths and challenges associated with robotic NP swab collection.

Main Methods:

• Development of a force-sensing end-effector integrated with a torque-controlled compliant control loop.
• Utilization of a ubiquitous rigid robotic arm for the NP swab insertion task.
• Experimental validation using a 3D-printed nasal cavity phantom.

Main Results:

• The compliant control system demonstrated superior performance compared to a basic position controller.
• The robotic system successfully performed NP swab insertions in the phantom model.
• The study identified key challenges including initial nostril alignment and managing head motion.

Conclusions:

• Compliant control systems show significant promise for enabling robots to perform NP swab tests safely and effectively.
• Further research and development are necessary to refine nostril alignment and address patient head motion for clinical application.
• Robotic NP swab testing offers a potential solution for reducing healthcare worker exposure and optimizing resource allocation.