Micro parallel robot MIPS for medical applications

MIPS is a micro robot with a parallel mechanical architecture having three degrees of freedom (one translation and two orientations) that allow fine positioning of a surgical tool. The purpose of MIPS is to act as an active wrist at the tip of an endoscope and to provide to the surgeon an accurate tool that may furthermore offer a partial force-feedback. The current prototype has a diameter of 7 mm for a length of 2.5 cm and includes all the necessary hardware. We will explain why a parallel architecture has be chosen, the method of optimal design that has been used for determining the dimensions of the robot and present the current prototype.

[1]  Koichi Suzumori,et al.  Applying Flexible Microactuators to Pipeline Inspection Robots , 1993, Robotics, Mechatronics and Manufacturing Systems.

[2]  Maria Chiara Carrozza,et al.  A microrobotic system for colonoscopy , 1997, Proceedings of International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[3]  Fumihito Arai,et al.  Characteristics of optical actuator-servomechanisms using bimorph optical piezo-electric actuator , 1993, [1993] Proceedings IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[4]  Ralph C. Merkle.  A new family of six degrees of freedom positional devices , 1997 .

[5]  J. Duffy,et al.  A forward displacement analysis of a class of stewart platforms , 1989, J. Field Robotics.

[6]  J.-P. Merlet.  A Formal-Numerical Approach to Determine the Accuracy of a Parallel Robot in a 6D Workspace , 2000 .

[7]  J. Merlet,et al.  A formal-numerical approach to determine the presence of singularity within the workspace of a parallel robot. , 2001 .

[8]  Jean-Pierre Merlet,et al.  Efficient estimation of the extremal articular forces of a parallel manipulator in a translation workspace , 1998, Proceedings. 1998 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (Cat. No.98CH36146).

[9]  S. Shankar Sastry,et al.  Design and control of a simplified Stewart platform for endoscopy , 1994, Proceedings of 1994 33rd IEEE Conference on Decision and Control.

[10]  Kazuhiro Kosuge,et al.  Micro active catheter system with multi degrees of freedom , 1994, Proceedings of the 1994 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[11]  Kok-Meng Lee,et al.  A three-degrees-of-freedom micromotion in-parallel actuated manipulator , 1991, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..

[12]  Koji Ikuta,et al.  Shape memory alloy servo actuator system with electric resistance feedback and application for active endoscope , 1988, Proceedings. 1988 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[13]  S. Shankar Sastry,et al.  Surgical applications of milli-robots , 1995, J. Field Robotics.