Autonomous robotic intracardiac catheter navigation using haptic vision

International audienceWhile all minimally invasive procedures involve navigating from a small incision in the skin to the site of the intervention, it has not been previously demonstrated how this can be done 10 autonomously. To show that autonomous navigation is possible, we investigated it in the hardest place to do it-inside the beating heart. We created a robotic catheter that can navigate through the blood-filled heart using wall-following algorithms inspired by positively thigmotactic animals. The catheter employs haptic vision, a hybrid sense using imaging for both touch-based surface identification and force sensing, to accomplish wall following inside the blood-filled heart. 15 Through in vivo animal experiments, we demonstrate that the performance of an autonomously-controlled robotic catheter rivals that of an experienced clinician. Autonomous navigation is a fundamental capability on which more sophisticated levels of autonomy can be built, e.g., to perform a procedure. Similar to the role of automation in fighter aircraft, such capabilities can free the clinician to focus on the most critical aspects of the procedure while providing precise and 20 repeatable tool motions independent of operator experience and fatigue

In Vivo Tissue Regeneration with Robotic Implants

Robots that reside inside the body to restore or enhance biological function have long been a staple of science fiction. Creating such robotic implants poses challenges both in signaling between the implant and the biological host as well as in implant design. To investigate these challenges, we created a robotic implant to perform in vivo tissue regeneration via mechano-stimulation. The robot is designed to induce lengthening of tubular organs, such as the esophagus and intestines, by computer-controlled application of traction forces. Esophageal testing in swine demonstrates that the applied forces can induce cell proliferation and lengthening of the organ without a reduction in diameter, while the animal is awake, mobile and able to eat normally. Such robots can serve as research tools for studying mechanotransduction-based signaling and can also be employed clinically for conditions such as long-gap esophageal atresia and short bowel syndrome

Evolution of methodology multi-parametrical Observation on the territory of Georgia

Since 1979, researches for earthquake forecasting promoted development of a hydro-chemical network of special regime regional observation. On the territory of Georgia hydro-chemical observations are carried out on 23 boreholes. During observations a lot of anomalies were fixed, but because of the diversity of chemical water content it was impossible to conduct observations of the unified parameters for creating the complete picture of strains on the whole territory. This is the reason why we decided to conduct observations for those parameters which could fix tidal variations with deformation of 10-8 degree, what is compared with strains differences during earthquakes preparation period. Besides, it was possible to conduct unified observations. Water level in the deep boreholes was one of them. That way since 1885, the network of 10 boreholes of different depth (from 250 up to 3500 m) covers the whole territory of Georgia. Boreholes characterize all basic geo-plates and open waters of deep aquifer, actually they represent sensitive volumetric strainmeters, and react on the deformations about 10-7-10-8, caused both by endogenous, and exogenous factors. A borehole was considered informative if it was fixing tidal variations and was included in the network. Special monitoring equipment is installed at boreholes which record several parameters, i.e. water level and microtemperature, atmosphere pressure and surface temperature, tilt, magnetic field and others. The data can be gathered in real time using the GSM net

USING ENVIRONMENT TRACERS FOR INVESTIGATION OF BLACK SEA POLUSHION

In order to determine the groundwater discharge (SGD) areas into the sea during studies had been implemented and selected the new methodology of using ecological tracers, such as stable isotopes 18O and 2H, radionuclide Rn and Ra and other parameters. On the territory of Kobulety had been defined the groundwater flow direction and the areas of their submarine discharge. Within the identified areas was defined the intensity of eutrofication –the value of nitrate and phosphate content in groundwaters and in the sea. Also, had been studied their distribution on the surface and intensity of outwash into the sea

Analyze of underground water regime factors for determine tectonic component

კავკასიის ტერიტორია მიეკუთვნება მსოფლიოს სეისმოაქტიურ რეგიონთა რიცხვს, სადაც მრავალრიცხოვანი მიწისძვრები დიდ ზიანს აყენებს მის მოსახლეობას და იწვევს ეკონომიკურ ზარალს. ამიტომ, გეოდეფორმაციული პროცესების განვითარების პროგნოზი მეტად აქტუალური და მნიშვნელოვანი პრობლემაა. მსოფლიოს სეისმოაქტიურ რეგიონებში ბოლო 20 წლის განმავლობაში წარმოებულმა კვლევებმა დააფიქსირეს მრავალი ფაქტი ჰიდროდინამიკური, ჰიდროქიმიური და გეოფიზიკური პარამეტრების მოკლე ვადიანი ანომალიებისა და დაადასტურეს მიზეზ-შედეგობრივი კავშირი, ერთის მხრივ მიწისძვრებსა და ლითოსფეროში დაძაბულობის ველის ცვლილებებსა და, მეორეს მხრივ, ამ გეოდეფორმაციულ პროცესებსა და მიწისქვეშა წყლების ჰიდროდინამიკურ და ჰიდროქიმიურ რეჟიმს შორის

Soft robotic sleeve supports heart function

There is much interest in form-fitting, low-modulus, implantable devices or soft robots that can mimic or assist in complex biological functions such as the contraction of heart muscle. We present a soft robotic sleeve that is implanted around the heart and actively compresses and twists to act as a cardiac ventricular assist device. The sleeve does not contact blood, obviating the need for anticoagulation therapy or blood thinners, and reduces complications with current ventricular assist devices, such as clotting and infection. Our approach used a biologically inspired design to orient individual contracting elements or actuators in a layered helical and circumferential fashion, mimicking the orientation of the outer two muscle layers of the mammalian heart. The resulting implantable soft robot mimicked the form and function of the native heart, with a stiffness value of the same order of magnitude as that of the heart tissue. We demonstrated feasibility of this soft sleeve device for supporting heart function in a porcine model of acute heart failure. The soft robotic sleeve can be customized to patient-specific needs and may have the potential to act as a bridge to transplant for patients with heart failure

Non-surgical Removal of Partially Absorbable Bionic Implants

Bionic implants offer the potential to augment human performance and to assist the body in recovering functions lost to disease. While some may be permanently implanted, others provide temporary support. The challenge for the second case is how to remove the device from the body once its task is complete without forcing the patient to undergo a second surgical procedure. While some devices may be fabricated entirely from absorbable materials, this may not always be possible. This paper investigates a strategy in which an implant is fabricated from a combination of absorbable and non-absorbable materials with the latter connected by a tether to the skin. At the time of removal, the device is disassembled in situ such that the absorbable components can remain in place while the non-absorbable components can be removed non-surgically by pulling them out of the body by the tether. The concept is demonstrated in the context of an implant that induces bowel growth by applying traction forces over a several-week period. In vivo experiments in swine are used to validate the approach

Использование экологических трассеров для изучения субмаринной разгруски подземных вод

The investigation of material transport via submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) is more challenging. In order to determine the groundwater discharge areas into the sea during studies had been implemented and selected the new methodology of using ecological tracers. During marine and land investigations studies had been successfully used the complex of ecological tracers – stable isotopes 18O and 2H, radionuclide Rn and Ra and other parameters. On the territory of Kobulety had been defined the groundwater flow direction and the areas of their submarine discharge. Within the identified areas was defined the intensity of eutrofication – the value of nitrate and phosphate content in groundwaters and in the sea. Also, had been studied their distribution on the surface and intensity of outwash into the sea