Surgical Robotics
Surgical robotics is the application of advanced technology to minimally invasive surgery (MIS) and open surgery training and procedures. The research is focused on following trusts: surgical robots, teleoperation, objective assessment of surgical performance, simulation, and the biomechanics of soft tissue that are related MIS and open procedures.
Devices
 |
Raven IV - A Surgical Robotic System Raven IV is a surgical robotics system that was developed at the University of California – Santa Cruz which includes four robotics arms and 2 cameras. The system facilitates a collaborative effort of two surgeons interacting with the surgical site in teleportation. The system architecture allows two surgeons in two remote locations to connect via commercially available internet connection using a UDP protocol using a unique software client interface and teleoperate the surgical robots in a master/slave configuration. |
 |
Raven I - A Surgical Robotic System Raven is a surgical robotic system that includes two portable surgical robotic arms (7 Degrees of Freedom each) and a portable surgical console. The system and is capable of teleported from a distance via Internet (wired & wireless). The surgical robot can be deployed in a hospital operating room setup as well as an operating room located in harsh environment (e.g. desert, under water etc.). |
 |
The RedDRAGTON is a system for measuring the kinematics and the dynamics of two endoscopic tools along with the visual view of the surgical scene during the course of a surgical procedure. The system can be used in three different modalities: animal model, physical model simulator, virtual reality simulator. |
 |
Automatic Surgical Robotics Tool Changer The automatic tool changer is a robotic system that can house and dispense 14 different tools of a surgical robot. It maintains the sterility of the tools along with its inventory via RFID tags. It presents its tool with an absolute accuracy of 0.05mm within 0.6sec for a surgical nurse that transfer the tool from the tool changer and replace it on the surgical robot. The tool changer is a sub system of Trauma Pod (Phase 1 |
 |
Motorized Endoscopic Grasper (MEG) The MEG is a 1 degree-of-freedom device incorporates force and position sensors and actuated by a DC motor for measuring Biomechanical characteristics of soft tissues in-vivo and in- vitro. |
 |
The BlueDRAGTON is a system for measuring the kinematics and the dynamics of two endoscopic tools along with the visual view of the surgical scene during the course of a surgical procedure. |
Projects
Autonomous Suturing Framework and Quantification Using a Cable-driven Surgical Robot
Device: Raven - Surgical Robot - Custom design
Methodology:Inanimate objects simulating internal organs (FLS)
Status: Active
Autonomous Tissue Manipulation via Surgical Robot Using Learning Based Model Predictive Control
Device: Raven - Surgical Robot - Custom design
Methodology:Inanimate objects simulating internal organs (FLS)
Status: Active
Autonomous Suturing Via Surgical Robot: An algorithm for Optimal Selection of Needle Diameter, Shape, and Path
Device: Raven - Surgical Robot - Custom design
Methodology:Inanimate objects simulating internal organs (FLS)
Status: Active
Plugfest 2009: Global Interoperability in Telerobotics and Telemedicine
Device: 6 slave rtobot & 8 master robot - Custom design
Methodology:Inanimate objects simulating internal organs (FLS)
Status: Completed
Teleoperation in Surgical Robotics –
Network Latency Effects on Surgical Performance
Device: Raven - Surgical Robot - Custom design
Methodology:Inanimate objects simulating internal organs (FLS)
Status: Completed
Tissue Damage due to Mechanical Stresses
Device: MEG
Methodology: In Vivo / In Sitro measurements - Animal Model
Status: Completed
RAVEN Surgical Robot System Participation in NASA NEEMO 12
Device: Raven - Surgical Robot - Custom design
Methodology:Inanimate objects simulating internal organs
Status: Completed
Telesurgery Via Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)
High Altitude Platforms Mobile Robotic Telesurgery (HAPsMRT)
Device: Raven - Surgical Robot - Custom design
Methodology:Inanimate objects simulating internal organs
Status: Completed
Mini Robot Design for Military Telesurgery in the Battlefield -
Braking the Size Barrier for Surgical Manipulators
Device: Custom design
Methodology: In Vivo measurements - Animal Model (Pig)
Status: Completed
Trauma Pod - Phase 1- The Operating Room of the Future
Device: Custom design
Methodology: Inanimate objects simulating internal organs
Status: Completed
Markov Model Assessment of Subjects' Clinical Skill Using the
E-Pelvis Physical Simulator
Device: E-Pelvis
Methodology: Simulator (E-Pelvis)
Number of Subjects: 200 Humans
Model: Markov model - 30 states
Status: Completed
Device: BlueDRAGON (Two instrumented tools)
Methodology: In Vivo measurements - Animal Model (Pig), Markov Model
Number of Subjects: 30 Human
Model: Markov model - 28 states
Status: Completed
Biomechanical Characteristics of Internal Organs' Soft Tissues -
In-Vivo measurements in minimally Invasive Surgery
Device: MEG & MTS Machine
Methodology: In Vivo / In Sitro measurements - Animal Model
Status: Completed
Psychophysic Evaluation of Kinesthetic and Haptic Information and
Force Feedback for Minimally Invasive Surgery
Device: Custom Device
Methodology: Lab experiment - Silicon rubber samples
Number of Subjects: 10 Human
Status: Completed
Markov Models of MIS based on Force/Torque Signatures and
Tool/Tissue Interactions
Device: IEG (One Instrumented tool - Dominant Hand)
Methodology: In Vivo measurements - Animal Model (Pig), Markov Model
Number of Subjects: 10 Human (5 - R1 and 5 - Expert)
Model: Markov model - 3 states
Status: Completed
Evaluating the influence of inertia and friction produced by a
geared DC motor on the haptic sensation
Device: Custom
Methodology: Human study, Silicon Rubber
Number of Subjects: 6 Humans (3 Surgeons and 3 non-surgeon)
Status: Completed
Device: IEG (One Instrumented tool - Dominant Hand)
Methodology: In Vivo measurements - Animal Model (Pig), Markov Model
Number of Subjects: 8 Human (2x R1, R3, R5, and Expert)
Model: Hidden Markov model - 14 states
Status: Complete
Grasping with Force Feedback in Minimally Invasive Surgery
Device: Force Reflecting Endoscopic Grasper
Methodology: Human study, Silicon Rubber
Number of Subjects: 8 Humans (4 Surgeons and 4 non-surgeon)
Status: Complete
Video Clips
RAVEN Surgical Robot - Field Experiments
RAVEN Surgical Robot - System Technical Overview & Operation
Blue Dragon - System Overview & Setup
News
TBD
Research