Method and system for simulating the mechanical behavior of a body

Abstract

Method and system for simulating the mechanical behavior of a body. Method for simulating the mechanical behavior of a body (200), comprising the steps of: configuring, from a digital twin (231), a dynamic model (100) comprising a deformable interface (101) linked to a plurality of active support elements (103) whose stroke and mechanical response are adjusted to reproduce, with the interface (101), the external geometry of the body (200) and to simulate its mechanical behavior, the digital twin (231) having been previously generated by acquiring the external geometry of at least a part of said body (200) and its local response to the application of a force (F1, F2, F3, F1', F2', F3'). Figure for the abstract: Fig. 2

Description

Title of the invention: Method and system for simulating the mechanical behavior of a body technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the simulation of the mechanical behavior of a body, in particular but not exclusively for the purpose of facilitating the tele-operation by the physician of a probe during the diagnosis of a patient remotely. Previous technique

[0002] Requests for teleoperation are increasing every year, especially in the medical field.

[0003] This is to address the need to provide rapid medical access where a doctor is not always available.

[0004] The Springer 2021 journal “Medical Robotics for Ultrasound Imaging: Current Systems and Future Trends” provides an overview of the most recent robotic ultrasound systems that have emerged over the past five years.

[0005] Among these systems, the MELODY system from the French company Adechotech uses, on the patient's side, a hand-operated arm with an end effector carrying a slave probe to be moved over the patient's body. This end effector is controlled by the movements of a master probe on the remote operator's side. Manipulation of the master probe does not provide haptic feedback or representation of the body being examined. Furthermore, this system requires assistance from a person on-site next to the patient to manipulate the slave probe, which limits its use to situations where such human assistance is available.

[0006] A similar RADIUS system was developed at the South Korean Institute of Machinery and Materials in 2017. It comprises a master device with a platform mounted on jacks and capable of recording the movements of a probe manipulated by the physician, and a slave device with handles, to be applied to the patient, with a mechanism for moving a slave probe in response to the movements of the master probe. Such a remote diagnostic system does not include haptic feedback and does not offer representation of the body being examined. Furthermore, it also requires the presence of an assistant next to the patient to hold the slave device (http: / / koreabizwire.com / s-korean-institute-develops-remote-ultrasound-diagnostic-sys tem / 102708).

[0007] In order to overcome the difficulties related to the lack of representativeness of the body explored on the master side, research has recently been carried out to propose feedback effort is reduced for the operator. The work of the University of Catania, published in 2020 in the article by Bucolo et al., "Force Feedback Assistance in Remote Ultrasound Scan Procedures," is the best example. The system developed allows for diagnosis by a collaborative robot remotely controlled by the movement of a probe by an operator, without the need for a human assistant on the patient's side. The robot also measures the mechanical resistance exerted by the patient and provides this measurement to the operator.

[0008] The system operates in a closed loop using a dynamic surface of predefined general shape on the operator side, composed of pneumatic chambers controlled by electro-valves, allowing to model the changes in stiffness of the explored body on the master side.

[0009] However, such a system proves to be relatively unresponsive and lacking in resolution, and in particular does not allow for the adequate simulation of sharp stops representative of the presence of obstacles such as bones in the human body. Its slowness makes it difficult to reconcile with the time constraints of most procedures. Description of the invention

[0010] There therefore remains a need to further improve remote haptic exploration processes and systems, particularly in terms of operator comfort, efficiency and speed, in order to facilitate the development of telediagnosis, particularly in the medical field, and more generally of teleoperation.

[0011] There is also a need to facilitate the training of operators handling a probe or any other device on a body, by providing a realistic haptic response.

[0012] Method for simulating the mechanical behavior of a body

[0013] The invention aims to address, according to a first aspect, at least one of these needs, and relates to a method for simulating the mechanical behavior of a body, comprising the steps of:

[0014] - configure a dynamic model from a digital twin comprising a deformable interface linked to a plurality of active support elements, whose stroke and mechanical response are adjusted to reproduce the external geometry of the body with the interface and simulate its mechanical behavior, the digital twin having been previously generated by acquiring the external geometry of at least part of said body and its local response to the application of a force.

[0015] According to this first aspect, the invention makes it possible to provide a human operator, Specifically, for a doctor, a dynamic, explorable interface with the same haptic characteristics as a real body can be used. This can facilitate the work of a teleoperator and allow them to remotely explore the body. It can also aid in medical training, particularly by improving the realism of simulations of object or hand movement in contact with a part of the human body.

[0016] The digital twin can be a "4D" digital model consisting of a computer file comprising a 3D map of the external geometry of the part of said body whose mechanical behavior we seek to reproduce and a matrix representing the mechanical resistances of said body to different forces applied to it at different positions and / or geometric orientations.

[0017] Pre-recorded real-life cases can be stored as digital twins, including the 4D model of the body in question. When the twin is generated, diagnostic images generated as the tool passes over the real-life case can also be recorded and then reproduced during the simulation.

[0018] Preferably, the method for simulating the mechanical behavior includes detecting the positioning and / or orientation relative to the dynamic model of a probe manipulated by a human operator, and providing the operator with information that is a function of the positioning and / or orientation thus detected of the probe.

[0019] This is, for example, in the case of training an operator using pre-recorded ultrasound images of the real case from which the digital twin was generated. Thus, the information delivered to the operator is preferentially representative of that delivered by the probe when positioned and / or oriented identically on the body.

[0020] The invention also aims to meet the aforementioned need to improve remote haptic exploration methods and systems, particularly in terms of operator comfort, efficiency and speed, in order to facilitate the development of telediagnosis, particularly in the medical field, and more generally teleoperation. Haptic feedback remote control method

[0021] The invention thus relates, according to a second aspect, to a remote control method with haptic feedback, comprising the steps of:

[0022] - generate in an initial phase a digital twin of at least a part of a body by acquiring its external geometry and its local response to the application of a force, - configure, from the digital twin thus generated, a dynamic remote model comprising a deformable interface linked to a plurality of active support elements whose stroke and mechanical response are adjusted to reproduce the external geometry of the body with the interface and simulate its mechanical behavior, - to detect, during a phase of remote action on the body, the positioning and / or orientation relative to the dynamic model of a master object manipulated by a human operator, - to control, based on the positioning and / or orientation thus detected, a robotic arm carrying a slave object to copy, with the slave object on the body, the positioning and / or orientation of the master object on the deformable interface.

[0023] This process allows for a more natural remote interaction between the human operator and the body being studied, and is closer to the usual exploration.

[0024] The invention allows the human operator to have a model representative of the geometry and resistance of the body remotely, allowing a more efficient and more precise diagnosis than is possible with current systems.

[0025] The invention offers the possibility of taking into account the time delays in communications inherent to remote diagnostics, thanks to the digital twin generated in the initial phase, to provide predictive mechanical resistances even before the master-slave-master loop is completed. This allows for better management of the communication delays that most often occur in remote diagnostics, by having an interface that reacts to the movements of the human operator almost in real time, rather than waiting for the slave object to return each time, as is the case for the system proposed by the University of Catania cited above.

[0026] The invention makes it possible to adapt the geometry and resistance of the interface to the exact body being diagnosed, rather than having a generic means poorly adapted to the body to be explored.

[0027] The step of detecting on the interface the positioning and / or orientation relative to the dynamic model of the master object can be carried out through proper sensors (for example magnetic sensors, odometric sensors, etc.) which allow the detection and quantification of the movement of the master object in space, or relative to the dynamic model.

[0028] The step of detecting on the interface the positioning and / or orientation relative to the dynamic model of the master object can also be carried out alternatively through vision tracking methods (camera tracking with or without a visual target on the master object).

[0029] The pressure applied by the master object on the interface can be measured through signals retrieved from the active support elements.

[0030] The tracking of the displacement and / or force of the master object can be carried out with a combination of some or all of these techniques, in order to ensure a precise identification of the position of the master object and / or the force it exerts on the interface.

[0031] Preferably, the master object reproduces at least partially the shape of the slave object, in particular that of the slave object in contact with the body. The slave object and the master object may thus have the same shape, or even be identical.

[0032] The remote control method according to this aspect of the invention preferably comprises acquiring a mechanical response when the slave object is positioned according to the position of the master object, updating the digital twin, and then adjusting the stroke of the active support elements and / or their response based on this acquisition. This real-time update makes it possible to take into account changes in the resistance of said body to the slave object, for example, during the movement of an organ or the encounter with a bone, and thus makes it possible to maintain a dynamic model whose properties remain as faithful as possible to those of the remote body being explored.This can also enrich the digital twin during the exploration, thus improving the accuracy of the behavior simulation during the examination; it can also, if desired, allow starting with a smaller volume of data acquired in the initial phase, thus shortening its duration.

[0033] Preferably, the acquisition of the local response of the body to the application of a force is carried out during the initial phase at several points using the slave object, in particular by making it follow a predefined trajectory with the robotic arm.

[0034] During the initial phase, the geometry of the body to be explored can be determined by any suitable means, for example by using one or more cameras, for example stereoscopic, one or more lasers or LIDAR, a probe arm, or any sensor enabling the desired 3D mapping to be obtained.

[0035] The remote control method according to the invention may include a calibration phase between the external geometry of the body and the position of the robotic arm. This calibration may be performed by any means, and for example by including the arm with a known position and / or orientation(s) in the initial acquisition field of the body topology.

[0036] The slave object may be a signal-emitting probe, in particular an ultrasound probe, especially an ultrasound probe carried by the robotic arm.

[0037] The master object can still be a haptic hand and the slave object a representative effector, such as a robotic hand.

[0038] The active support elements preferably include actuators, which are preferably linear, preferably electromechanical cylinders, and allow the starting topology of the deformable interface to be adapted to the geometry of the body.

[0039] The active support elements preferably each include a magnetorheological brake that allows the response of the active support element to a mechanical load to be modified, this brake being controlled according to the digital twin. The brake allows for precise and very rapid control of the resistance offered by the active support element when the human operator exerts a push on the deformable interface.

[0040] The brake may include a housing containing a magnetorheological fluid.

[0041] A magnetorheological brake makes it possible to impose controllable viscous friction using a magnetic field whose intensity depends on that of the electric current used to generate the field. Indeed, magnetorheological fluids are suspensions of micrometric magnetic particles in non-magnetic liquids. When such a liquid is exposed to a magnetic field, the particles aggregate into chains that significantly increase the resistance to flow.

[0042] The magnetic field required to control the viscosity of the fluid is supplied by an electromagnet.

[0043] Each active support element can be equipped with a return mechanism, in particular a spring, deformable under the effect of a force exerted by the master object. Controlling the stroke of the aforementioned cylinder allows the geometry of the body to be reproduced; the cylinder can be locked at the stroke corresponding to this geometry. The presence of the return mechanism allows the cylinder to be pushed in when a force is exerted on the model by the operator, and thus allows the model to be pushed in locally. The presence of the brake allows the pushing stroke to be modulated, for example by blocking the pushing in beyond a certain point, or by varying the force required to cause this pushing in, to simulate, for example, the hardening of the fabric or the presence of an obstacle that prevents the movement from continuing.

[0044] Thus, in the case of the use of a magnetorheological brake, the method may include controlling the intensity of a current sent into the brake to modify the viscosity of the magnetorheological fluid as a function of the displacement of a rod of the active support element under the effect of a force exerted on the interface by the operator and of the mechanical response recorded in the digital twin; for example, to simulate a sinking without significant mechanical resistance, the brake is not activated or only slightly activated, which allows the rod of the active support element to sink in response to a force exerted by the operator, the return member being compressed during this sinking;if after a certain penetration stroke, it is necessary to simulate a stop, linked for example to the presence of an underlying bone in the tissues being explored, the current in the brake is increased, which blocks the descent of the rod of the active support element and therefore the penetration of the dynamic model locally; when the operator releases the pressure, this release can be detected, and the current in the brake decreased, to allow the rod; of the active support element to return to its initial configuration under the effect of the return mechanism.

[0045] The interface preferably comprises a layer of a viscoelastic material, which can define the surface that the human operator explores. This contributes to the flexibility of the deformable interface and can provide haptic feedback that is closer to reality when exploring a human body using the invention.

[0046] System for simulating the mechanical behavior of a body

[0047] The invention also relates, according to another aspect, to a system for simulating the mechanical behavior of a body, in particular for implementing a method according to the invention, comprising:

[0048] - a dynamic model comprising a deformable interface linked to a plurality of active support elements whose stroke and mechanical response are adjustable, - a control system to control the stroke and mechanical response of the active support elements as a function of a digital twin of at least a part of said body, this digital twin including data relating to the external geometry of said body and its local response to the application of a force, the control of the active support elements being carried out in such a way as to reproduce with the interface the external geometry of the body and simulate its mechanical behavior.

[0049] Preferably, the system according to the invention comprises a system for detecting the positioning and / or orientation relative to the dynamic model of a master object manipulated by a human operator. This information can be transmitted remotely to control a robot carrying a slave object, as in the case of the method defined above.

[0050] The invention also relates, according to another of its aspects, to a remote control system with haptic feedback, comprising in addition to the system according to the invention described above, a control system for a robotic arm to pilot, from the positioning and / or orientation thus detected, a robotic arm carrying a slave object and to copy, with the slave object on the body, the positioning and / or orientation of the master object on the deformable interface.

[0051] The invention also relates to a tele-exploration system with haptic feedback, comprising in addition to the control system according to the invention, the robotic arm carrying the slave object.

[0052] This slave object can advantageously be an ultrasound probe, as indicated above. Any type of ultrasound probe can be used within the scope of the present invention, including linear and convex probes, or even endocavitary probes.

[0053] The robotic arm can be a collaborative robotic arm, or “cobot”. Uses of the system

[0054] The invention also relates, according to another aspect, to the use of the haptic feedback tele-exploration system according to the invention for medical telediagnosis, in particular with ultrasound.

[0055] The invention also relates, according to another aspect, to the use of the haptic feedback remote control system according to the invention for the non-destructive testing of flexible or semi-rigid components or structures.

[0056] The invention also relates, according to another of its aspects, to the use of the system to simulate the mechanical behavior of a body for the purpose of recording case studies and reproducing them on the dynamic model to train new operators. Brief description of the drawings

[0057] The invention will be better understood upon reading the detailed description that follows, the non-limiting examples of its implementation, and upon examination of the accompanying drawing, on which:

[0058] [Fig-1] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an example of a telescopic control system haptic feedback exploration according to the invention;

[0059] [Fig.2] [Fig.2] schematically represents the components of the system illustrated in the [Fig. 1] ; and

[0060] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] schematically illustrates an example of an actuator used in the system of the [Fig.2]. Detailed description

[0061] Fig. 1 is a block diagram of an example of a haptic feedback tele-exploration system 1 according to the invention.

[0062] This system 1 comprises a master part 10 and a slave part 20, connected by means of connection 30 between the two ensuring their bilateral communication. These means of connection may comprise any telecommunications network, wired or wireless.

[0063] The diagram in [Fig.2] represents in more detail the components of system 1.

[0064] The master part 10 includes a dynamic model 100 and a control system 106 which can be a computer or any other computer or electronic system, for example with a microcontroller.

[0065] The slave portion 20 comprises a robotic arm 220, preferably collaborative, for example of the 6-axis type, carrying a slave probe 210, a control system 211 for the robotic arm 220, a 3D acquisition system such as one or more cameras 240, enabling the acquisition of the external geometry of the body 200, and a computing unit 230 connected to the control system 211, the slave probe 210, the camera 240 and to the means of connection 30. This computing unit 230 can be a computer or any other suitable computing or electronic means.

[0066] The slave probe 210 and / or the robotic arm 220 can be instrumented to measure the applied force and the local mechanical response, to the application of this force, of the explored body.

[0067] The dynamic model 100 comprises a deformable interface 101, preferably having a layer of viscoelastic material, the outer face of which is intended to come into contact with a master probe 110 manipulated by the operator, and the inner face of which is connected to a plurality of active support elements 103, the stroke and mechanical response of which are adjustable. The interface 101 may include pillars 104 to which the active support elements are connected at their ends, as illustrated.

[0068] A power electronics 105 connected to the control system 106 allows the active support elements 103 to be controlled.

[0069] The control system 106 is configured to control the stroke and mechanical response of these elements as a function of a digital twin 231 of at least one part of the body 200 to be explored. This digital twin 231 is, for example, stored in an electronic memory of the control system 106 or on a server to which it can be accessed. A detection system 111 makes it possible to know the position and / or orientation of a master probe 110 relative to a reference frame associated with the model 100, preferably both the position (at least x, y, and better x, y and z) and the orientation (at least two of the three Euler angles, better all three).

[0070] The active support elements 103 are preferably each formed of an actuator-brake pair.

[0071] An example of such an active support element 103 is schematically illustrated in [Fig.3],

[0072] The active support element 103 may include, as illustrated, a body 1030 housing an electromechanical linear actuator 1035 actuating a rod 1040.

[0073] The body 1030 can receive a magnetorheological brake 1034 acting on the rod 1040.

[0074] A return member 1036, preferably a spring, can interact between the actuator 1035 and the body 1030 to allow the actuator to move relative to the body 1030 if the brake 1034 allows it, when a corresponding thrust is exerted on the interface 101.

[0075] The actuator 1035 transforms, for example, the rotational movement of a motor, through a screw / nut type connection, not shown in [Fig.3], into a translational movement of the rod 1040. The latter may have at its free end a head 1041 coming into contact with the internal wall of the interface 101.

[0076] The brake 1034 may include a housing containing a magnetorheological fluid 1031 capable of forming, when subjected to a magnetic field, solid chains around the rod 1040 in order to prevent or slow down its linear movement, depending on the intensity of the field, the coefficient of friction with the rod 1040 varying according to the viscosity of the fluid 1031. The magnetic field is generated by an electromagnet 1032, arranged around the rod 1040, connected to the power electronics 105, itself controlled by the control circuit 106.

[0077] The density of the active support elements 103 along the x or y axis can be greater than 10 m1, better than 50 m1, taking for example as a reference active support elements of 16 mm diameter, 60 mm stroke and 100N axial force.

[0078] The height of the active support elements 103 along the z-axis is adjusted according to the shape of the body 200 to be reproduced. The axial travel along z can be, for example, between a minimum value zmin of 0 mm and a maximum value zmax of 60 mm, or even 100 mm. The difference (zmax - zmin) represents the maximum amplitude along z by which the relief of the model can be modified locally during the initial configuration of the topology.

[0079] The stroke of the active support element 103 in case of a push exerted on it by the operator depends on the freedom of movement along z of the actuator, relative to the body 1030, allowed by the return member 1036. This freedom of movement provides a mobility along z which is cumulative with the stroke given by the actuator.

[0080] The digital twin 231 contains data relating to the external geometry of the body 200 and its local response to the application of a force. This digital twin 231 is generated by the computing unit 230 of the slave part 20, which transmits it, for example, via the connection means 30 to the control system 106.

[0081] The digital twin 231 is generated in an initial phase by acquiring the external 3D map of the body 200 and its local response to the application of different forces Fl, F2, F3, Fl', F2', F3', ... at different positions and / or with different orientations, this response being represented, for example, as a matrix of resistances to said forces. During the acquisition of the digital twin 231, different forces are applied, for example, with the slave probe to measure the corresponding deformation of the body, for example, by measuring the resulting displacement of the slave probe 210 through the robot's position data, or optically.

[0082] The slave probe 210, for example, applies the different forces according to a predefined trajectory, the robotic arm being controlled accordingly by the computing unit 230.

[0083] The external geometry of the body 200 can be obtained through a visual scan performed by the acquisition system 240 when it includes cameras or LIDAR, or, alternatively, through a haptic surface exploration by the slave probe 210. The spatial resolution of the acquisition along the x or y axis of the 3D mapping can be greater than, for example, 1 point / cm, better than 10 points / cm, and that of mechanical resistance to 1 point / cm in the z-axis, better than 5 points / cm.

[0084] After the initial phase, and once the digital twin 231 has been transmitted to the control system 106, the dynamic model 100 can be configured from this digital twin. This configuration includes controlling the stroke of the rods 1040 of the active support elements 103 along the z-axis to give the interface 101 the shape of the body 200, and controlling the brakes to ensure that the dynamic behavior in response to a thrust exerted on the interface 101 by the operator 120 simulates as closely as possible the mechanical behavior of the body 200, as will be detailed later.

[0085] When the system is used for remote diagnostics, for example, the positioning of the master probe 110 relative to the dynamic model 100 is detected using the detection system 111. This system may include, for example, one or more cameras or LiDAR to spatially locate the probe 110, or a localization system based on ultrasonic or radio frequency waves, using triangulation. The interface can also be equipped with a contact localization system for detecting contact between the interface and the probe by means of a network of electrical conductors on or beneath the surface of the interface 101, which locally detect contact with the probe 110.

[0086] We can then control, from the positioning thus detected of the master probe 110, the robotic arm 220 to copy, with the slave probe 210 on the body 200, the positioning and also, where applicable, the orientation of the master probe 110 on the deformable interface 101.

[0087] If the operator presses on the model 100 with the master probe, and the digital twin contains information about soft tissue at that point, the current sent to the electromagnet 1032 is relatively low and the braking force is limited, thus allowing compression of the spring 1036 and the descent of the rod 1040 in response to the applied force. The model thus reacts by sinking locally.

[0088] In the event that the operator presses on the model 100 with the master probe and the digital twin contains information indicating tissue hardening beyond a certain indentation c, for example due to the presence of an underlying bone, the current in the electromagnet is increased once this indentation c is reached. This activates the brake and prevents the rod 1040 from continuing its insertion into the body 1030 of the support element 103. The operator 120 thus experiences the sensation that an organ is blocking the probe 110 from being inserted further, as in reality. Once the operator ceases to apply pressure, the system detects this and the brake can be released, allowing the rod 1040 to return to its initial position. The model 100 returns to the initial shape in which it was configured, intended to reproduce the topology of the body to be explored in the absence of mechanical constraint.

[0089] The body 200 corresponds, for example, to a human abdomen, and the dynamic model 100 can reproduce all or part of this abdomen. Thus, the extent of the model 100 can be as large as that of the body part to be explored. Other external or internal body parts can be explored in the same way, for example, the chest, back, neck, legs, etc.

[0090] Alternatively, the model 100 is smaller than the body to be explored and thus only reproduces a portion of it at a time. In this case, the system can allow the operator to choose the portion of the body they wish to explore, for example, by allowing them to select a reference point on the body that corresponds, for example, to the center of the area they wish to reproduce with the dynamic model and explore with the probe. If the operator wishes to explore a different area, the system can allow them to select a new reference point on the body, in which case the model is reconfigured to be, for example, centered on this new area, before allowing the exploration to resume. If the operator chooses to return to an area already explored, the system restores the corresponding configuration of the model for the geometry and resistance of the area in question.

[0091] It can be advantageous to update the digital twin in real time based on the acquisition of the body's actual mechanical response to the positioning of the slave probe 210 imposed by that of the master probe 110, and then adjust the stroke and behavior of the active support elements 103 based on this acquisition, for example, when the initial acquisition was not sufficiently dense. In cases where rapid diagnosis is required, it may not be possible, due to time constraints, to perform a detailed, point-by-point acquisition. The system can then use a stochastic method to define random points to explore, or better yet, densify the measurement points around the usual positions of bones, organs, etc., and acquire few measurement points outside these areas or any critical zone.

[0092] The system can be based on the acquired image of the body to be explored, and recalibrate it in relation to a reference digital twin (for example of a human abdomen).

[0093] The system 1 described above can also be used to simulate the mechanical behavior of a body for the purpose of recording case studies and reproducing them on the dynamic model 100 to train new operators. In this case, there is no slave part 20, but the dynamic model 100 is preconfigured from a digital twin 231 previously generated by acquiring the external geometry of at least a part of a body to be explored and its local response to the application of a force. Real ultrasound images, for example, are recorded beforehand to allow the operator to see the result of the positioning and / or orientation of the probe being manipulated. The positioning and / or orientation of the probe relative to the dynamic model are detected, and information that is a function of the positioning and / or orientation thus detected is returned to the operator. This information is then representative of that which a real probe would deliver when positioned and / or oriented in the same way on the real body.

[0094] The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. For example, the actuator may not include a return element, the actuator being driven to retract the rod 1040 when a push exerted on the model is detected by the system.

[0095] The brake can be electromechanical.

[0096] When the probe is endocavitary, the model can reproduce orifice(s) and cavity(s), the active support elements being arranged around the cavity(ies).

Claims

Claims

1. Method for simulating the mechanical behavior of a body (200), comprising the steps of: - configuring from a digital twin (231) a dynamic model (100) comprising a deformable interface (101) linked to a plurality of active support elements (103) whose stroke and mechanical response are adjusted to reproduce with the interface (101) the external geometry of the body (200) and simulate its mechanical behavior, - the digital twin (231) having been previously generated by acquiring the external geometry of at least a part of said body (200) and its local response to the application of a force (Fl, F2, F3, Fl', F2', F3').

2. Method according to the preceding claim, comprising the detection of the positioning and / or orientation relative to the dynamic model of a probe (110) manipulated by a human operator (120), and the restitution to the operator (120) of information which is a function of the positioning and / or orientation thus detected of the probe (110).

3. Method according to the preceding claim, the information delivered to the operator (120) being representative of that delivered by the probe (110) when positioned and / or oriented identically on the body (200).

4. A method of remote control with non-surgical haptic feedback, comprising the steps of: - generating in an initial phase a digital twin (231) of at least one part of a body (200) by acquiring its external geometry and its local response to the application of a force (Fl, F2, F3, Fl', F2', F3'), - configuring from the digital twin (231) thus generated a remote dynamic model (100) comprising a deformable interface (101) linked to a plurality of active support elements (103) whose stroke and mechanical response are adjusted to reproduce with the interface (101) the external geometry of the body (200) and simulate its mechanical behavior, - detect, in a phase of remote action on the body (200), the positioning and / or orientation relative to the dynamic model (100) of a master object (110) manipulated by a human operator (120), - control from the positioning and / or orientation thus detected a robotic arm (220) carrying a slave object (210) to copy, with the slave object (210) on the body (200), the positioning and / or orientation of the master object (110) on the deformable interface (101).

5. Method according to the preceding claim, the master object (110) reproducing at least partially the shape of the slave object (210), in particular that of the slave object (210) coming into contact with the body (200).

6. Method according to one of the two preceding claims, the slave object (210) and the master object (110) having the same shape, or even being identical.

7. Method according to any one of claims 4 to 6, comprising the acquisition of a mechanical response during a positioning of the slave object (210) imposed by that of the master object (110), the updating of the digital twin (231) then the adjustment of the travel of the active support elements (103) and / or their response from this acquisition.

8. Method according to any one of claims 4 to 7, the acquisition of the local response to the application of a force (Fl, F2, F3, Fl', F2', F3') being carried out during the initial phase at several points using the slave object (210), in particular by making it perform a predefined trajectory with the robotic arm (220).

9. Method according to any one of claims 4 to 8, the slave object (210) being a signal-emitting probe, in particular an ultrasound probe, in particular an echographic probe.

10. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, the active support elements (103) each comprising a magnetorheological brake (1034) making it possible to modify the response of the active support element (103) to a mechanical stress, this brake (1034) being controlled as a function of the digital twin (231).

11. A method according to any preceding claim, the active support elements (103) comprising linear actuators (1035).

12. A method according to any preceding claim, the interface (101) comprising a layer of viscoelastic material.

13. System (1) for simulating the mechanical behavior of a body (200), in particular for implementing a method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising: - a dynamic model (100) comprising a deformable interface (101) linked to a plurality of active support elements (103) whose stroke and mechanical response are adjustable, - a control system (106) for controlling the stroke and mechanical response of the active support elements as a function of a digital twin (231) of at least one part of said body (200), this digital twin (231) comprising data relating to the external geometry of said body (200) and to its local response to the application of a force (Fl, F2, F3, Fl', F2', F3'), the control of the active support elements (103) being carried out so as to reproduce with the interface (101) the external geometry of the body (200) and simulate its mechanical behavior.

14. System according to claim 13, comprising a system (111) for detecting the positioning and / or orientation relative to the model (100) of a master object (110) manipulated by a human operator (120).

15. Haptic feedback remote control system, comprising, in addition to the system according to claim 14, a control system (211) of a robotic arm (220) for controlling, from the positioning and / or orientation thus detected, a robotic arm (220) carrying a slave object (210) and copying, with the slave object (210) on the body (200), the positioning and / or orientation of the master object (110) on the deformable interface (101).

16. Haptic feedback remote exploration system, comprising, in addition to the control system according to claim 15, the robotic arm (220) carrying the slave object (210).

17. System according to the preceding claim, the slave object being an ultrasound probe.

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