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Results for “Robotics”

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At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Self-guided robotic camera control for laparoscopic surgery compared with human camera control.

BACKGROUND: In laparoscopic surgery, the surgeon no longer has direct visual control of the operation area, and a camera assistant who maneuvers the laparoscope is essential. Problems of cooperation between the two naturally arise, and a robotic assistant that automatically controls the laparoscope can offer a highly desirable alternative to this situation. METHODS: A self-guided robotic camera control system (SGRCCS) based upon a color tracking method has been developed and its use evaluated in 20 cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy and compared with using human camera control. RESULTS: In 83% of the patients the procedures were successfully completed with the SGRCCS. Set-up time for the robot averaged 21 minutes; and the surgical time with and without the robot averaged 54 and 60 minutes, respectively. Using the robot instead of a human camera assistant significantly reduced both the frequency of the camera correction, 2.2 per hour compared with 15.3 per hour, and frequency of the lens cleaning, 1.0 per hour compared with 6.8 per hour. Subjective assessment by the surgeon revealed that the robot performed better than the human assistant in 71 % of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: In laparoscopic surgery, the SGRCCS offered optimal camera guidance and helped to maintain the surgeon's concentration during the operation.

Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Defining a neural network controller structure for a rubbertuator robot.

Rubbertuator (Rubber-Actuator) robot arm is a pneumatic robot, unique with its lightweight, high power, compliant and spark free nature. Compressibility of air in the actuator tubes and the elastic nature of the rubber, however, are the two major sources of increased non-linearity and complexity in motion control. Soft computing, exploiting the tolerance of uncertainty and vagueness in cognitive reasoning has been offering easy to handle, robust, and low-priced solutions to several non-linear industrial applications. Nonetheless, the black-box approach in these systems results in application specific architectures with some important design parameters left for fine tuning (i.e. number of nodes in a neural network). In this study we propose a more systematic method in defining the structure of a soft computing technique, namely the backpropagation neural network, when used as a controller for rubbertuator robot systems. The structure of the neural network is based on the physical model of the robot, while the neural network itself is trained to learn the trajectory independent parameters of the model that are essential for defining the robot dynamics. The proposed system performance was compared with a well-tuned PID controller and shown to be more accurate in trajectory control for rubbertuator robots.

Elasticity↗

PubMed2000

Simulation of robotic courier deliveries in hospital distribution services.

Flexible automation in the form of robotic couriers holds the potential for decreasing operating costs while improving delivery performance in hospital delivery systems. This paper discusses the use of simulation modeling to analyze the costs, benefits, and performance tradeoffs related to the installation and use of a fleet of robotic couriers within hospital facilities. The results of this study enable a better understanding of the delivery and transportation requirements of hospitals. Specifically, we examine how a fleet of robotic couriers can meet the performance requirements of the system while maintaining cost efficiency. We show that for clinical laboratory and pharmaceutical deliveries a fleet of six robotic couriers can achieve significant performance gains in terms of turn-around time and delivery variability over the current system of three human couriers per shift or 13 FTEs. Specifically, the simulation results indicate that using robotic couriers to perform both clinical laboratory and pharmaceutical deliveries would result in a 34% decrease in turn-around time, and a 38% decrease in delivery variability. In addition, a break-even analysis indicated that a positive net present value occurs if nine or more FTEs are eliminated with a resulting ROI of 12%. This analysis demonstrates that simulation can be a valuable tool for examining health care distribution services and indicates that a robotic courier system may yield significant benefits over a traditional courier system in this application.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMed2001

Technical assessment of porcine enteroenterostomy performed with ZEUS robotic technology.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Limitations of minimally invasive pediatric surgery include the inability to perform precise anastomoses of 2 to 15 mm. Robotic technology facilitates the performance of endoscopic microsurgical procedures. This study examined the technical feasibility of performing an enteroenterostomy in piglets utilizing ZEUS robotic technology. METHODS: Ten piglets (6.5 to 8.5 kg) underwent enteroenterostomy. Standard laparoscopic techniques were used in the control group (n = 5), and ZEUS robotic technology was used in the experimental group (n = 5). AESOP controlled the camera in both groups. Anesthesia time; surgery time; robotic set-up time; and anastomotic time, patency, diameter, and integrity were compared. RESULTS: No statistical difference existed between the means of the control and experimental groups for anesthesia time (176.0 v 154.0 minute; P =.63), surgery time (143.0 v 139.2 minute; P =.92), anastomosis time (109.4 v 93.0 minutes; P =.56), AESOP set-up time (4.2 v 7.0 minutes; P =.51), and anastomotic diameter (7.062 v 7.362 mm; P =.62). All anastomoses were patent without narrowing. The ZEUS cases averaged 14 minutes faster than the standard laparoscopic cases, even with the ZEUS set-up time included. CONCLUSIONS: These data supports the hypothesis that robotic-assisted enteroenterostomy is technically feasible. ZEUS robotic technology will potentially play an important role in expanding the applications of minimally invasive pediatric surgery.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗

PubMed1999

[Applicability of the robot arm for microsurgical operations].

In this project, we evaluated a new robotic arm, RAMS (Robot Assisted Microsurgery) Workstation, for microsurgical procedures. We assigned seven microsurgical tasks to the robotic arm to investigate its capabilities and limitations during microsurgery. The robotic arm was able to function as the primary operating tool in removal of foreign bodies and thrombi as well as in intravascular positioning and holding of needles and catheters. The robot worked with great precision and without vibration. It served as an assisting tool in vessel dissection, ligation of side branches, and microsurgical anastomosis. The main drawbacks include a long warm-up period, the large size, poor rotation of the tip of the robotic arm, and frequent unintended shut-downs. The RAMS Workstation is a precise tool and can assist the surgeon as a "second" or "third hand". It cannot entirely replace the microsurgical instruments held by the surgeon.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Using a personal robot to teach young children.

Seventy-five preschool children were instructed about birds by a human teacher, a moving personal robot, a stationary personal robot, and a tape recorder. How much the children learned and how much attention the children paid were compared for each type of instruction. The children learned when they were taught by the human teacher and when they were taught by the animated and the stationary robots. The children paid more attention to the live teacher and to the moving robot than they did to the stationary robot or to the tape recorder. The difference between the amount of attention the children paid to the animated robot and the amount of attention they paid to the human teacher was not statistically significant.

Attention↗

PubMed1987

Application of robotics to stereotactic neurosurgery.

Advances in the field of stereotactic neurosurgery have depended on improvements in brain-imaging techniques, as well as development of new stereotactic frame systems. This paper describes the development of a stereotactic system based on a robotics model. The system employs the Unimation Puma Mark II Robotic System, specifically modified for use in stereotactic surgery. The robotic CT stereotactic system is mounted in a dedicated operating suite, containing a CT scanning gantry and adjacent computer room. Stereotactic coordinates are derived from CT scan data obtained intraoperatively and transferred by computer link to the robotic stereotactic system. The robotic arm is driven into place to align with predetermined coordinates. A variety of stereotactic procedures may then be carried out using the robotic 'hand' as a guide to the target. So far, the device has been used, only for lesion biopsy. However, future applications to functional neurosurgery are anticipated.

Biopsy↗

PubMed2001

Laparoscopic radical prostatectomy with a remote controlled robot.

PURPOSE: Robotics in surgery is a recent innovation. This technology offers a number of attractive features in laparoscopy. It overcomes the difficulties with fixed port sites by restoring all 6 degrees of freedom at the instrument tips, provides new possibilities for miniaturization of surgical tasks and allows remote controlled surgery. We investigated the applicability of remote controlled robotic surgery to laparoscopic radical prostatectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Our previous experience with laparoscopic prostatectomy served as a basis for adapting robotic surgery to this procedure. A surgeon at a different location who activated the tele-manipulators of the da Vinci* robotic system performed all steps of the intervention. A scrub nurse and second surgeon who stood at patient side had limited roles to port and instrument placement, exposure of the operative field, assistance in hemostasis and removal of the operative specimen. Our patient was a 63-year-old man presenting with a T1c tumor discovered on 1 positive sextant biopsy with a 3+3 Gleason score and 7 ng./ml. preoperative serum prostate specific antigen. RESULTS: The robot provided an ergonomic surgical environment and remarkable dexterity enhancement. Operating time was 420 minutes, and the hospital stay lasted 4 days. The bladder catheter was removed 3 days postoperatively, and 1 week later the patient was fully continent. Pathological examination showed a pT3a tumor with negative margins. CONCLUSIONS: Robotically assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy is feasible. This new technology enhances surgical dexterity. Further developments in this field may have new applications in laparoscopic tele-surgery.

Humans↗

PubMed1997

Robotic and neuronal simulation of the hippocampus and rat navigation.

The properties of hippocampal place cells are reviewed, with particular attention to the nature of the internal and external signals that support their firing. A neuronal simulation of the firing of place cells in open-field environments of varying shape is presented. This simulation is coupled with an existing model of how place-cell firing can be used to drive navigation, and is tested by implementation as a miniature mobile robot. The sensors on the robot provide visual, odometric and short-range proximity data, which are combined to estimate the distance of the walls of the enclosure from the robot and the robot's current heading direction. These inputs drive the hippocampal simulation, in which the robot's location is represented as the firing of place cells. If a goal location is encountered, learning occurs in connections from the concurrently active place cells to a set of 'goal cells', which guide subsequent navigation, allowing the robot to return to an unmarked location. The system shows good agreement with actual place-cell firing, and makes predictions regarding the firing of cells in the subiculum, the effect of blocking long-term synaptic changes, and the locus of search of rats after deformation of their environment.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

CRIGOS: a compact robot for image-guided orthopedic surgery.

The CRIGOS (compact robot for image-guided orthopedic surgery) project was set up for the development of a compact surgical robot system for image-guided orthopedic surgery based on user requirements. The modular system comprises a compact parallel robot and a software system for planning of the surgical interventions and for supervision of the robotic device. Because it is not sufficient to consider only technical aspects in order to improve in clinical routine the therapeutic outcome of conventional interventions, a user-centered and task-oriented design process has been developed which also takes human factors into account. The design process for the CRIGOS system was started from requirement analysis of various orthopedic interventions using information gathered from literature, questionnaires, and workshops with domain experts. This resulted in identification of conventional interventions for which the robotic system would improve the medical and procedural quality. A system design concept has been elaborated which includes definitions of components, functionalities, and interfaces. Approaches to the acquisition of calibrated X-rays will be presented in the paper together with design and evaluation of a first human-computer interface. Finally, the first labtype parallel robot based on low-cost standard components is presented together with the first evaluation results concerning positioning accuracy.

Humans↗

PubMed2001

Localization and control of a rehabilitation mobile robot by close human-machine cooperation.

In the field of rehabilitation robotics, a mobile personal robot represents an attractive solution, especially in economic terms in comparison with a desktop workstation. A manipulator arm mounted on a mobile robot can facilitate the restoration of the disabled user's manipulative function. In order both to encourage the person to participate in the task at hand and to be cost effective, close human-machine cooperation is essential. The person controls the robot via a remote station and develops strategies to successfully carry out a mission. The main problems encountered by the person during the execution of a mission are electing to change modes, and the mode transition itself. We have examined two aspects of this cooperation: 1) information exchange between human and machine for decision-making and 2) giving to operators complementary and redundant modes to command the system. An experiment has been conducted to study these two aspects. This paper focuses on the control of robot movements in an indoor environment and especially on localization parameters, human-like robot behavior, and the value of proposing complementary control modes to the operator.

Persons with Disabilities↗

PubMed2000

Assessing human-robotic performance for vocational placement.

This paper describes the results of an exploratory study of the use of standard occupational therapy assessment tests to measure the effective manipulation ability of individuals with disabilities using a robotic aid. Robotic manipulators have been explored for use as a vocational accommodation to support the job placement of individuals with severe manipulation disabilities. One of the factors that has impeded the transfer of this work is the lack of practical information that is relevant to the vocational placement process. The preliminary performance data presented in this paper provides an indication of robot-assisted manipulation skill that rehabilitation professionals may use to better understand the potential for use of this technology in providing greater job opportunities for people with severe manipulation impairment. Three different assessment tests were administered to nine different subjects with severe physical disabilities using a computer-controlled robotic workstation to perform the manipulation requirements of the tests. In all cases, the subjects, who were otherwise unable to physically perform the tasks without the robot, were able to perform manipulation tasks a factor of 20-700 times less than that of the performance indicated in published norms. Although these performance levels are modest in terms of nondisabled populations, supporting data is also provided that suggests that individuals with severe manipulation deficits could have access to a much wider range of vocational opportunities with an appropriate implementation of robot technology.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The Leipzig experience with robotic valve surgery.

OBJECTIVES: The study describes the single-center experience using robot-assisted videoscopic mitral valve surgery and the early results with a remote telemanipulator-assisted approach for mitral valve repair. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Out of a series of 230 patients who underwent minimally invasive mitral valve surgery, in 167 patients surgery was performed with the use of robotic assistance. A voice-controlled robotic arm was used for videoscopic guidance in 152 cases. Most recently, a computer-enhanced telemanipulator was used in 15 patients to perform the operation remotely. RESULTS: The mitral valve was repaired in 117 and replaced in all other patients. The voice-controlled robotic arm (AESOP 3000) facilitated videoscopic-assisted mitral valve surgery. The procedure was completed without the need for an additional assistant as "solo surgery." Additional procedures like radiofrequency ablation and tricuspid valve repair were performed in 21 and 4 patients, respectively. Duration of bypass and clamp time was comparable to conventional procedures (107 A 34 and 50 A 16 min, respectively). Hospital mortality was 1.2%. Using the da Vinci telemanipulation system, remote mitral valve repair was successfully performed in 13 of 15 patients. CONCLUSION: Robotic-assisted less invasive mitral valve surgery has evolved to a reliable technique with reproducible results for primary operations and for reoperations. Robotic assistance has enabled a solo surgery approach. The combination with radiofrequency ablation (Mini Maze) in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation has proven to be beneficial. The use of telemanipulation systems for remote mitral valve surgery is promising, but a number of problems have to be solved before the introduction of a closed chest mitral valve procedure.

Adult↗

PubMed2000

Automated assay optimization with integrated statistics and smart robotics.

The transition from manual to robotic high throughput screening (HTS) in the last few years has made it feasible to screen hundreds of thousands of chemical entities against a biological target in less than a month. This rate of HTS has increased the visibility of bottlenecks, one of which is assay optimization. In many organizations, experimental methods are generated by therapeutic teams associated with specific targets and passed on to the HTS group. The resulting assays frequently need to be further optimized to withstand the rigors and time frames inherent in robotic handling. Issues such as protein aggregation, ligand instability, and cellular viability are common variables in the optimization process. The availability of robotics capable of performing rapid random access tasks has made it possible to design optimization experiments that would be either very difficult or impossible for a person to carry out. Our approach to reducing the assay optimization bottleneck has been to unify the highly specific fields of statistics, biochemistry, and robotics. The product of these endeavors is a process we have named automated assay optimization (AAO). This has enabled us to determine final optimized assay conditions, which are often a composite of variables that we would not have arrived at by examining each variable independently. We have applied this approach to both radioligand binding and enzymatic assays and have realized benefits in both time and performance that we would not have predicted a priori. The fully developed AAO process encompasses the ability to download information to a robot and have liquid handling methods automatically created. This evolution in smart robotics has proven to be an invaluable tool for maintaining high-quality data in the context of increasing HTS demands.

Automation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Robotics: a way to link the "islands of automation".

This article looks at what the natural evolution of robots can do for the clinical testing industry, from performing simple functions to becoming the prime labor force of the clinical laboratory. Until now, robots have been applied to instrument processes as somewhat of an upgrade to accomplish a variety of laboratory tasks. Over the next 10 years, however, robotics development will respond to the internal and external influences expected to challenge the industry. A limited supply of human workers and the increased demands of testing volumes and cost-effectiveness will herald a new phase of robotics to link, as well as develop, technological capabilities. Since science fiction was invented, robots have teased the imagination-alternately as mindless automatons or as clones of their inventors endowed with minds of their own. The appeal in the first case was the seemingly infinite capacity for performing menial tasks too boring, complex, or dangerous for mankind. The appeal in the second was the fantasy of artificial intelligence. In both cases, the fictional concept has become reality--and, by the 21st century, should even be commonplace. Financial encouragement of robotics development might even be a mission for laboratories themselves, as they prepare for potential competition from even more complex technology.

Autoanalysis↗

PubMed1999

A voice-controlled robotic assistant for neuroendoscopy.

This paper describes experiments with a voice-controlled robot system to be used in endoscopic neurosurgery. The robot was a modified version of the robot described in previous publications of the group at Fraunhofer IPA and HSK. To control the robot a voice-controlled user interface was developed. The experiments were conducted on cadavers for three standard approaches in neuroendoscopy. The goal was to gain experience with a voice-controlled user interface and also with the set-up and use of the robotic system under clinical conditions. The results indicate that modifications to the robot and user interface are necessary. However the overall feasibility of the application was demonstrated.

Endoscopy↗

PubMed2001

Digital trainer developed for robotic assisted cardiac surgery.

Robotic systems for cardiac surgery have been introduced in clinical trials to facilitate minimally invasive techniques. Widespread use of surgical robotics necessitates new training methods to improve skills and continue practicing as the robotic systems are frequently being upgraded. Today, robotic training is performed on expensive animal models. An integration of a digital trainer with the two present robotic systems applied in coronary artery bypass procedures on beating heart requires real time simulation of tissue mechanics, sutures, instruments and bleeding. However, it requires no extra haptic device, since the robotic master is the haptic apparatus itself. By developing new data structures and parametric geometry descriptions we have demonstrated the possibility of obtaining surgical simulation on a standard PC Linux system. This technology is beneficial when simulation is exploited over a network with limited bandwidth, especially when it comes to the handling of soft tissue dynamics.

Computer Simulation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Increasing productivity and quality of care: robot-aided neuro-rehabilitation.

This paper presents an overview of our research in robot-aided stroke neuro-rehabilitation and recovery. At the onset of this research we had to confront squarely (and solve!) a critical question: If anatomy is destiny, can we influence it? Our efforts over the last five years have been focused on answering this question and we will present a few of our clinical results from over 2,000 hours of robot-aided therapy with 76 stroke patients. To determine if exercise therapy influences plasticity and recovery of the brain following a stroke, we needed the appropriate "microscope" that would allow us to concomitantly control the amount of therapy delivered to a patient, while objectively measuring patient's performance. Back-driveable robots are the key enabling technology. Our results to date using common clinical scales suggest that robot-aided sensorimotor training does have a genuinely positive effect on reduction of impairment and the reorganization of the adult brain. Yet while clinical scales can help us to examine the impact in the neuro-recovery process, their coarse nature requires extensive and time-consuming trials, and on top of that they fail to show us details important for optimizing therapy. Alternative, robot-based scales offer the potential benefit of new finer measurements-and deeper insight into the process of recovery from neurological injury. We also plan to use present technology to establish the practicality and economic feasibility of clinician-supervised, robot-administered therapy, including classroom therapy. We feel quite optimistic that the march of progress will accelerate substantially in the near future and allow us to transfer this technology from the research realm to the everyday treatment of stroke survivors.

Efficiency↗