Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) compatible robots can assist physicians in precisely inserting biopsy needles or therapeutic instruments directly into millimeter-size tumors using MR imaging feedback. MRI systems although present a challenging environment, including high magnetic fields and limited space, making the development of MRI-compatible robots complex. This paper presents an MRI-compatible pneumatic actuation technology consisting of molded polymer structures with embedded air-muscle, operated in a binary fashion. While having good positioning accuracy, the technology presents advantages of compactness, perfect MRI-compatibility, simplicity, and low cost. Here we specifically report the design and validation of a transperineal prostate cancer manipulator prototype having 20 embedded air-muscles distributed in four star-like polymer structures. Structures are made of silicone elastomer, using lost-core injection molding. The molded compliant joints of the muscles eliminate sliding surfaces, for low motion hysteresis and good repeatability. A simple and effective two-level design method for polymer air-muscles is proposed, using a manipulator model and three muscle models: geometrical, finite elements and uniaxial analytic. Binary control of each air-muscle assures stability and accuracy with minimized costs and complexity. The manipulator is tested MRI-compatible with no effects on the signal-to-noise ratio and, with appropriate image feedback, reaches targets with repeatability and accuracy under 0.5 mm. The embedded approach reveals to be a key feature since it reduces hysteresis errors by a factor of 6.6 compared to a previous non-embedded version of the manipulator. The successful validation of this binary manipulator opens the door to a new design paradigm for low cost and highly capable pneumatic robots, specifically for the intra-MRI manipulation.
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ASME 2012 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference
August 12–15, 2012
Chicago, Illinois, USA
Conference Sponsors:
- Design Engineering Division
- Computers and Information in Engineering Division
ISBN:
978-0-7918-4503-5
PROCEEDINGS PAPER
Design and Manufacturing of Embedded Pneumatic Actuators for an MRI-Compatible Prostate Cancer Binary Manipulator
Geneviève Miron,
Geneviève Miron
Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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Alexandre Girard,
Alexandre Girard
Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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Jean-Sébastien Plante,
Jean-Sébastien Plante
Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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Martin Lepage
Martin Lepage
Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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Geneviève Miron
Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Alexandre Girard
Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Jean-Sébastien Plante
Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Martin Lepage
Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
Paper No:
DETC2012-71380, pp. 1133-1142; 10 pages
Published Online:
September 9, 2013
Citation
Miron, G, Girard, A, Plante, J, & Lepage, M. "Design and Manufacturing of Embedded Pneumatic Actuators for an MRI-Compatible Prostate Cancer Binary Manipulator." Proceedings of the ASME 2012 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences and Computers and Information in Engineering Conference. Volume 4: 36th Mechanisms and Robotics Conference, Parts A and B. Chicago, Illinois, USA. August 12–15, 2012. pp. 1133-1142. ASME. https://doi.org/10.1115/DETC2012-71380
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