A new transmission mechanism for the actuation of manipulators for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guided interventions

Xin Liu, Daniel Biediger, Rahul Kopru, Eftychios G. Christoforou, Nikolaos V. Tsekos

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

This work presents a novel mechanism for force transmission specially designed for actuating robotic manipulators inside the MR scanner in order to perform interventions with real-time MRI guidance. This force transmission mechanism, herein referred to as Solid Media Transmission (SMT), uses channels filled with solid media and force is transmitted from one to the other end by the translation of the media inside the respective tubing. SMT lines were implemented with material compatible and safe to the MR environment. Bench top studies on a 2-m long SMT line, using specially designed sensor units to measure force and displacement, demonstrated that SMT gave out immediate motion response and over 80% displacement transfer efficiency. It indicates the feasibility to use SMT for manipulator tool positioning. In the MRI studies of the SMT mechanism we used a conventional stepper motor as a cost-efficient and simple powering source option. To ensure MR compatibility and safety at a 1.5 Tesla scanner we used a 4-m long SMT to place the motor outside of the 5 Gauss line, and to reduce electromagnetic interference from the controllers we used shielding and filtering of the drive signals. Force was successfully transmitted over the 4-m SMT with an efficiency of over 50%. Moreover, the custom shielding and filtering resulted to minimal EMI noise of less than 6% of the phantom signal.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationXIV Mediterranean Conference on Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing, MEDICON 2016
EditorsEfthyvoulos Kyriacou, Stelios Christofides, Constantinos S. Pattichis
PublisherSpringer-Verlag
Pages673-678
Number of pages6
ISBN (Print)9783319327013
DOIs
StatePublished - 2016
Event14th Mediterranean Conference on Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing, MEDICON 2016 - Paphos, Cyprus
Duration: Mar 31 2016Apr 2 2016

Publication series

NameIFMBE Proceedings
Volume57
ISSN (Print)1680-0737

Other

Other14th Mediterranean Conference on Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing, MEDICON 2016
Country/TerritoryCyprus
CityPaphos
Period3/31/164/2/16

Keywords

  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Mechanical Force Transmission
  • MRI-Compatible Robotics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Bioengineering
  • Biomedical Engineering

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