Actively Compliant Parallel End-Effector Mechanism for Medical Interventions

With ultrasound capabilities increasing, such as for detecting internal bleeding and bone fractures, ultrasound usage is expanding on and off the battlefield. During a typical ultrasound image-guided procedure, accurate manual manipulation of an ultrasonic probe with one hand while manipulating a surgical tool with the other hand is cumbersome for a practitioner. Currently available serial-link robot arm manipulators are not capable of applying accurate, consistent force of the probe on the patient, particularly during probe manipulation. Infoscitex Corporation proposes to address these requirements with an actively compliant, parallel, 6-DOF end-effector, called ACE (Actively Compliant End-effector), capable of responding to patient body-surface movements with end-effector counter-movements in real-time. ACE’s responsiveness will be sufficient to maintain a consistent force between the probe and the patient’s body regardless of anatomical changes during an image-guided procedure. Infoscitex has assembled a distinguished team to address this work. In conjunction with our university research partner, Georgetown University, our medical/ultrasound consultant, Dr. Dan Swerdlow, and our commercialization partners, Barrett Technology and U-Systems, we are proposing an innovative approach to meet the requirements called for in this solicitation. At the conclusion of Phase II, a pre-production version of ACE will be ready for immediate deployment in selected applications.