Robotic Needle Gripper Synchronized with Breathing Cycles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current needle insertion procedures, especially those using robotic image-guided systems, face challenges in maintaining accuracy and patient comfort due to breathing and movement-induced needle position changes, which can cause injury or discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a gripper to alternately grip and release the needle, synchronized with the patient's breathing cycle, allowing the needle to move freely between insertion steps while ensuring precise robotic control during insertion, using mechanisms like magnetic, electrostatic attraction, or mechanical connectors, and incorporating tracking systems for precise needle positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the needle base is held stiffly by the insertion robot, then the needle insertion accuracy is improved, but the patient may experience injury, discomfort or pain due to breathing and body movement
Solution Approach 1:
The needle holder is designed to be dynamically controllable, allowing the system to switch between fixed and movable states. During insertion steps, the needle holder is held fixed to ensure accuracy, while between steps it is released to allow free movement with the patient's body, eliminating the contradiction between stability and comfort
Solution Approach 2:
The needle holder is alternately fixed and released in periodic cycles synchronized with the insertion procedure. It is fixed during insertion steps and released between steps, creating a periodic pattern that maintains accuracy when needed while preventing discomfort during idle periods
2Loss of time
If the needle is inserted in a single iteration, then the procedure time is reduced, but safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The needle insertion procedure is segmented into multiple discrete steps rather than being performed in a single continuous motion. The needle is advanced in controlled increments with periodic pauses, allowing safety checks while maintaining overall procedural efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by positioning the needle holder and planning insertion steps in advance. The robot prepares the needle for insertion, synchronizes with breathing cycles, and pre-calculates safe insertion paths before executing each step, ensuring safety is built into the process rather than added afterward
3Manufacturing precision
If the needle position is constantly adjusted to follow the target trajectory, then insertion accuracy is improved, but the complexity of manual manipulation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces complex manual mechanical manipulation with automated robotic control. The robot executes the insertion steps and adjusts needle position based on pre-calculated trajectories and real-time feedback, eliminating the need for complex manual coordination while maintaining high precision
Solution Approach 2:
The needle holder system is self-sufficient with integrated sensors, actuators, and control mechanisms that automatically maintain needle position and trajectory. The system monitors its own state and makes corrections without external intervention, reducing manipulation complexity while preserving accuracy
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the risk of injury and discomfort by minimizing interference with breathing motion, allowing for safe and tolerable needle insertion with improved accuracy by coordinating insertion steps with the patient's breathing cycles.
Implementation Method 1
The connecting mechanism can employ magnetic, electrostatic or other attraction forces
Implementation Method 2
The connecting mechanism can employ magnetic, electrostatic or other attraction forces
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for ensuring safe and tolerable insertion of a needle into a subject's body according to a preplanned or continuously monitored sequence of insertion steps. The system comprises a gripping device for gripping the needle in order to perform robotic insertion steps, yet for releasing the grip between such insertion steps, until the next insertion step is initiated. Thereby, the robot has full control of the needle during insertion steps, but does not constrain the needle between insertions, such that movement of the subject can cause neither damage nor discomfort. The gripping and insertion steps may be coordinated to keep in synchronization with the subject's breathing cycles, such that the insertion steps may be performed in the same segment of each cycle of motion of the subject's chest. The gripper can either fully disconnect from the needle, or can partially disconnect but constrain motion within limits.