title: Design of a Multitasking Robotic Platform with Flexible Arms and Articulated Head for Minimally Invasive Surgery.
abstract: This paper describes a multitasking robotic platform for Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS). The device is designed to be introduced through a standard trocar port. Once the device is inserted to the desired surgical site, it can be reconfigured by lifting an articulated section, and protruding two tendon driven flexible arms. Each of the arms holds an interchangeable surgical instrument. The articulated section features a 2 Degrees-of-Freedom (DoF) universal joint followed by a single DoF yaw joint. It incorporates an on-board camera and LED light source at the distal end, leaving a Ø3mm channel for an additional instrument. The main shaft of the robot is largely hollow, leaving ample space for the insertion of two tendon driven flexible arms integrated with surgical instruments. The ex-vivo and in-vivo experiments demonstrate the potential clinical value of the device for performing surgical tasks through single incision or natural orifice transluminal procedures.
authors.affiliation: The Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Jianzhong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shang
authors.affiliation: The Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.affiliation: The Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: David P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Noonan
authors.affiliation: The Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Ka-Wai
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Ara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Darzi
authors.affiliation: The Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
authors.forename: Guang-Zhong
authors.initials: GZ
authors.lastname: Yang
references.citation: Can J Surg. 2007 Feb;50(1):48-57
references.pmid: 17391617
references.citation: BJU Int. 2008 Jun;101(12):1493-6
references.pmid: 18325059
references.citation: Arch Surg. 2007 Sep;142(9):823-6; discussion 826-7
references.pmid: 17875836
references.citation: Gastrointest Endosc. 2011 Jan;73(1):117-22
references.pmid: 21074762
references.citation: Int J Surg. 2008 Aug;6(4):273-6
references.pmid: 18614409
references.citation: Gastrointest Endosc Clin N Am. 2008 Apr;18(2):315-24; ix
references.pmid: 18381172
references.citation: Gastrointest Endosc. 2007 Feb;65(2):312-8
references.pmid: 17173916
references.citation: Arch Surg. 1991 Oct;126(10):1192-6; discussion 1196-8
references.pmid: 1834039
references.citation: World J Gastrointest Surg. 2010 Jun 27;2(6):210-6
references.pmid: 21160877
references.citation: Endoscopy. 2002 Feb;34(2):154-9
references.pmid: 11822011
references.citation: Surg Endosc. 2009 Dec;23(12):2720-7
references.pmid: 19360364
references.citation: Minim Invasive Ther Allied Technol. 2006;15(6):378-83
references.pmid: 17190663
references.citation: Int J Rob Res. 2009 Sep 1;28(9):1134-1153
references.pmid: 20160881
references.citation: Int J Med Robot. 2008 Mar;4(1):15-22
references.pmid: 18314917
references.citation: Surg Endosc. 2010 Mar;24(3):709-14
references.pmid: 19688389
references.citation: J Laparoendosc Adv Surg Tech A. 2009 Apr;19(2):211-4
references.pmid: 19361291
references.citation: Gastrointest Endosc. 2009 Jul;70(1):121-5
references.pmid: 19394008