A Biomedical Robotic Platform Combined With an Application-Specific Laser-Based End-Effector for Achieving High Precision Neurosurgery

Abstract

With the evolution of manual laparoscopic tools to robotic actuated surgical end-effectors, disciplines dealing with relatively large organs have benefited from robotic technology. Neurosurgery is a technique incorporating specialized instruments, such as a microscope and miniaturized tools, to aid the surgeon to perform complex procedures on fine and delicate structures within the brain. Thus, high precision in neurosurgery is a paramount concern. This has posed the challenge for the development of sophisticated robotic devices capable of integrating not only a magnified view of tissue but also the design of a robotic system capable of delivering sub- millimetric precision along with an application-specific end-effector design. In this paper, we present a design methodology for developing a custom made optomechanical end-effector design to be tested in combination with a high precision robotic system capable of providing sub-millimeter motion accuracy. Proof of concept tests considering fine structures such as those present in brain tissue are used to assess the potential of the presented design. The obtained results validate that the custom made optomechanical end-effector design providing a focused beam of <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$\sim 182{\bm{\ }}{{\bf \mu m}}$</tex> when combined with the high precision delta robotic system achieving a mechanical motion precision of <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$3.1 \pm 0.05{\bm{\ }}{{\bf \mu m}}$</tex> (mean ± std) and average motion error of <tex xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">$28.68 \pm 6.14{\bm{\ }}{{\bf \mu m}}$</tex> has the potential to be used for enhancing the precision of robotic-assisted surgical procedures beyond currently available technologies.