Evaluation of a Possibility of Estimation of Reaction Force of Surgical Robot Instrument using Sliding Perturbation Observer

Abstract

In spite of the difficulties and uncertain characteristic of cable driven method, surgical robot instrument has adopted it as driving mechanism for various reasons. To overcome the problem of cable system, previous research applied SMCSPO (sliding mode control with sliding perturbation observer) algorithm as robust controller to control the instrument and found that the value of SPO (sliding perturbation observer) followed force disturbance, reaction force loaded on the tip very similarly. Thus, this paper confirms that the perturbation observer is sufficient estimator which finds out the mount of loaded force on the surgical robot instrument. To prove the proposition, simulation using the similar model with an actual instrument and experimental evaluation are performed. The results show that it is possible to substitute SPO for sensors to measure the reaction force. This estimated reaction force will be used to realize haptic function by sending the reaction force to a master device for a surgeon. The results will contribute to create surgical benefit such as shortening the practice time of a surgeon and giving haptic information to surgeon by using it as haptic signal to protect an organ by making force boundary.