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Design and Evaluation of a Measurement Probe for Contact-Forces in Minimally Invasive Knee Surgery
One of the main challenges when developing robotic tools for minimally invasive surgery are unknown mechanical requirements. Your task will be to develop a measurement probe which can measure the contact forces between the surgical instrument and the surrounding tissue in the knee.
Keywords: Medical Robotics, Mechanical Engineering, Force Sensor
We are developing a robotic endoscope with an integrated laser osteotome to combine the advantages of laser osteotomies with those of minimally invasive surgery. One of the main challenges when developing robotic tools for minimally invasive surgery are unknown mechanical requirements and uncertainties. It is difficult to find literature documenting anatomical manipulation requirements such as the forces required to manipulate a robotic tool inside a human joint. We already conducted experiments for estimating expected contact forces between the endoscope end-effector and the surrounding tissue inside the human knee joint capsule.
We are developing a robotic endoscope with an integrated laser osteotome to combine the advantages of laser osteotomies with those of minimally invasive surgery. One of the main challenges when developing robotic tools for minimally invasive surgery are unknown mechanical requirements and uncertainties. It is difficult to find literature documenting anatomical manipulation requirements such as the forces required to manipulate a robotic tool inside a human joint. We already conducted experiments for estimating expected contact forces between the endoscope end-effector and the surrounding tissue inside the human knee joint capsule.
Your task will be to develop an improved measurement probe which can measure the contact forces in the knee. The probe-tip should have the same dimensions as our robotic end-effector and should enable the measurement of normal forces that are acting on its surface. You will start by designing and evaluating possible measurement principles. After selecting the most promising principle you will manufacture a prototype of the measurement-tip and evaluate its performance. Additionally, you will develop a probe handle which enables to move the probe-tip inside the human knee joint. After you evaluated and improved the functionality of your measurement probe it will be ready to be tested inside a human
knee joint.
Your task will be to develop an improved measurement probe which can measure the contact forces in the knee. The probe-tip should have the same dimensions as our robotic end-effector and should enable the measurement of normal forces that are acting on its surface. You will start by designing and evaluating possible measurement principles. After selecting the most promising principle you will manufacture a prototype of the measurement-tip and evaluate its performance. Additionally, you will develop a probe handle which enables to move the probe-tip inside the human knee joint. After you evaluated and improved the functionality of your measurement probe it will be ready to be tested inside a human knee joint.