A concept of a user interface capable of intuitive operation of 4-DoF articulated forceps

摘要

In this paper, we present a concept of a user interface for articulated forceps having increased number of degrees of freedom for minimally invasive transnasal endoscopic neurosurgery. Specifically, our aim is to develop a hands-on type user interface capable of intuitively controlling the position and orientation of the forceps and their multiple tip degrees of freedom simultaneously. We introduce a conceptual prototype of a user interface composed of a passive mechanism for holding a 4 degree-of-freedom robotic articulated forceps and a handheld device with a joystick and a trigger to control the precise tip motion of the forceps. We present a pilot experiment of a pick and place task in an area which is difficult to access with conventional straight forceps. The experimental results illustrate the potential feasibility of the proposed user interface in a simulated transnasal skull base approach.