Laurence Nouaille

Medical telerobotic systems: Current status and future trends

Teleoperated medical robotic systems allow procedures such as surgeries, treatments, and diagnoses to be conducted across short or long distances while utilizing wired and/or wireless communication networks. This study presents a systematic review of the relevant literature between the years 2004 and 2015, focusing on medical teleoperated robotic systems which have witnessed tremendous growth over the examined period. A thorough insight of telerobotics systems discussing design concepts, enabling technologies (namely robotic manipulation, telecommunications, and vision systems), and potential applications in clinical practice is provided, while existing limitations and future trends are also highlighted. A representative paradigm of the short-distance case is the da Vinci Surgical System which is described in order to highlight relevant issues. The long-distance telerobotics concept is exemplified through a case study on diagnostic ultrasound scanning. Moreover, the present review provides a classification into short- and long-distance telerobotic systems, depending on the distance from which they are operated. Telerobotic systems are further categorized with respect to their application field. For the reviewed systems are also examined their engineering characteristics and the employed robotics technology. The current status of the field, its significance, the potential, as well as the challenges that lie ahead are thoroughly discussed.

A medical robot kinematics design approach based on knowledge management

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present a methodology for medical robot kinematics design developed using a knowledge-management approach. Design/methodology/approach - A classification of medical robots is proposed based on their kinematic characteristics and 76 robot specifications were collected in a catalogue. Then, having drawn a generic specifications sheet, rules were proposed to choose a structure from these specifications. Findings - Findings are situated at several levels: the catalogue, the classification of robots with respect to their kinematic characteristics, a generic and specific specifications sheet, and an organigram to choose the most relevant structure from the specifications. Research limitations/implications - This structural synthesis represents a preliminary step in the design of medical robots which will be completed by an additional dimensional synthesis. Originality/value - This work offers a new methodology for medical robots design distinct from what is usually done for medical or industrial robots design using intuition, expertise and non-formal knowledge.

Optimization of a 4 dof tele-echography robot

This paper deals with the optimization of the design of a 4 degree-of-freedom robot dedicated to tele-echography. It has been designed to reproduce in real time on a patient, the medical gestures performed by a remote expert moving a fictive probe. Our goal is to optimize the kinematic structure to determine geometrical parameters, as they have a significant role in the singularities localization. In this paper, we propose optimum solutions obtained from a combination of kinematic performances and compactness indices.

Process of optimisation for a 4 dof tele-echography robot

This paper deals with processes of optimisation for the design of a four degree-of-freedom robot dedicated to remote ultrasound tele-echography. This robot is designed to track the medical gestures of a remote expert moving an ultrasound probe. The goal is to optimise the kinematic structure by fixing the geometric parameters; these have a significant role in robot configuration singularities, with respect to current medical gestures and mechanism compactness. After choosing a dedicated kinematic structure, several optimisations are presented. Then an optimal choice of geometrical parameters of a global function in relation with kinematic performance indices and compactness is proposed. This robot is soon to be used in the experimental medical phase of the Prosit project.

Modeling and geometrical validation of a tele-echography robot

This work deals with modeling for the design of a four degree-of-freedom robot dedicated to tele-echography. It is designed to follow the medical gestures of a remote expert moving an ultrasound probe. The goal is to define the kinematic structure with optimal geometric parameters. These parameters have an important role in the robot singularities positions corresponding to the most current medical gestures. In this paper, we propose a value of these parameters validated by the kinematic indices point of view and an optimization.

Design process for robotic medical tool guidance manipulators

This paper deals with the design process adapted to medical robots. The large diversity of kinematic architectures that can be encountered in medical robotics leads us to seek a robust method dedicated to tool-guidance medical robot design. First, we detail a proposed design process adapted especially for handling the inherent needs in tool-guidance in medical robotics. This proposed method ties together the phases of the design process with their respective tools. We describe the spectrum of medical robots and particularly the variety of kinematic architectures used. Each phase of the design process is detailed through application examples in the domains of tele-echography and minimally invasive surgery, which exhibit a number of commonalities. The use of tools for accomplishing the various steps of the design process is detailed, with emphasis on medical gesture analysis. This is followed by topological and dimensional synthesis. This study illustrates how the type of medical robot can impose specific requirements and a particular approach in the design process. We expect through this paper to bring a significant contribution to the design of medical tool-guidance robots and to facilitate their integration in the clinical environment. The main contribution of this work is to propose a design process method for robotic medical tool-guidance manipulators.

Method of dimensional optimization of spherical robots for medical applications using specialized indices

This paper deals with an optimization method of spherical robots applied to the domain of medical robotics. This method relies on specification of indices which describe the constraints and requirements of the particular medical application. The dimensional optimization is demonstrated with two examples of four-degree-of-freedom robots: one dedicated to ultrasound tele-echography and the other a tool for minimally invasive surgery. Each of them has been designed to accurately follow medical gestures. The method involves optimization of the kinematic structure and determination of geometric parameters which have a significant role in avoiding singularities and achieving mechanism compactness. The two examples presented illustrate the robustness of the approach using specialized indices appropriate to each specific case. The method can be used with some generality for new medical robotics applications. Graphical Abstract

Design Process of a Robotized Tele-Echography System

This paper deals with the design process of a particular mechatronic system: a tele-echography robot. First, we describe the principle of robotized tele-echography and the prototypes already designed. Then, after having chosen the design process, we show two medical gestures analysis performed to define the required specifications of a tele-echography robot. Several kinematic synthesis allow demonstrating that the serial spherical wrist is the most adapted structure to this medical application. The kinematic performance of this structure is limited by the singularity position located at the centre of the workspace. An inclined spherical wrist structure is proposed to displace the singularity position in a less used workspace zone that the normal direction to the patients skin. In the dimensional synthesis phase, this structure is optimized. Then, a collaborative design study with designers is presented to improve aesthetic and ergonomic of the robot. This step was very interesting because it brought innovative propositions. Finally, a detailed phase allows defining the PROSIT 1 robot. It was manufactured and will be soon tested in clinical environment.

Kinematic Design of a Lighting Robotic Arm for Operating Room

This paper deals on the design method applied to create a new useful robot for a lighting operating room. We present the specifications for this particular medical application, the proposed kinematic solutions as well as the topological and dimensional syntheses performed to choice the optimal solution. The work presented in this paper was conducted with a closely industrial collaboration, and a patent application of the chosen kinematic solution has been filed.

A specific performances comparative study of two spherical robots for tele-echography application:

In this paper, two kinematic structures with optimized spherical wrist modules are proposed for the practice of tele-echography through a new slave holder robot for a remote ultrasound diagnostic application. The medical gestures, performed during an ultrasound examination, are analyzed using two different techniques. The results are used in the definition of the robot kinematic structure specifications. The proposed medical robot is formed by two modules, a spherical displacement orientation module and a translation module, to control the interaction force between the probe and the patient. Multicriteria optimization is proposed and is applied to two spherical structures: one serial and one parallel. Workspace size and kinematic performance, in addition to the index of compactness of the manipulator, are considered in the optimization. The efficiency of the optimized kinematic structures across their workspace is studied and compared to determine which one is more adapted to the tele-echography application.