An Optimization-Based Algorithm for Trajectory Planning of an Under-Actuated Robotic Arm to Perform Autonomous Suturing

Hossein Dehghani, Yue Sun, Lou Cubrich, Dmitry Oleynikov, Shane Farritor, Benjamin Terry

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

In single-port access surgeries, robot size is crucial due to the limited workspace. Thus, a robot may be designed under-actuated. Suturing, in contrast, is a complicated task and requires full actuation. This study aims to overcome this shortcoming by implementing an optimization-based algorithm for autonomous suturing for an under-actuated robot. The proposed algorithm approximates the ideal suturing trajectory by slightly reorienting the needle while deviating as little as possible from the ideal, full degree-of-freedom suturing case. The deviation of the path taken by a custom robot with respect to the ideal trajectory varies depending on the suturing starting location within the workspace as well as the needle size. A quantitative analysis reveals that in 13% of the investigated workspace, the accumulative deviation was less than 10 mm. In the remaining workspace, the accumulative deviation was less than 30 mm. Likewise, the accumulative deviation of a needle with a radius of 10 mm was 2.2 mm as opposed to 8 mm when the radius was 20 mm. The optimization-based algorithm maximized the accuracy of a four-DOF robot to perform a path-constrained trajectory and illustrates the accuracy-workspace correlation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number9200749
Pages (from-to)1262-1272
Number of pages11
JournalIEEE Transactions on Biomedical Engineering
Volume68
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Apr 2021

Keywords

  • Four-DOF robot
  • autonomous suturing
  • path planning
  • robotic surgery
  • trajectory optimization

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biomedical Engineering

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