International surgical telementoring using a robotic arm: Our experience

10.1089/107830200311824Telemedicine Journal6125-31TEJO

A Steady-Hand Robotic System for Microsurgical Augmentation

: This paper reports the development of a robotic system designed to extend a human's ability to perform small-scale (sub-millimeter) manipulation tasks requiring human judgement, sensory integration and hand-eye coordination. Our novel approach, which we call "steady hand" micromanipulation, is for tools to be held simultaneously both by the operator's hand and a specially designed actively controlled robot arm. The robot's controller senses forces exerted by the operator on the tool and by the tool on the environment, and uses this information in various control modes to provide smooth, tremor-free precise positional control and force scaling. Our goal is to develop a manipulation system with the precision and sensitivity of a machine, but with the manipulative transparency and immediacy of hand-held tools for tasks characterized by compliant or semi-rigid contacts with the environment. 1. Introduction This paper describes the first steps in an ongoing development of a robotic assi..