title: Compensation for Unconstrained Catheter Shaft Motion in Cardiac Catheters.
abstract: Cardiac catheterization with ultrasound (US) imaging catheters provides real time US imaging from within the heart, but manually navigating a four degree of freedom (DOF) imaging catheter is difficult and requires extensive training. Existing work has demonstrated robotic catheter steering in constrained bench top environments. Closed-loop control in an unconstrained setting, such as patient vasculature, remains a significant challenge due to friction, backlash, and physiological disturbances. In this paper we present a new method for closed-loop control of the catheter tip that can accurately and robustly steer 4-DOF cardiac catheters and other flexible manipulators despite these effects. The performance of the system is demonstrated in a vasculature phantom and anin vivoporcine animal model. During bench top studies the robotic system converged to the desired US imager pose with sub-millimeter and sub-degree-level accuracy. During animal trials the system achieved 2.0 mm and 0.65° accuracy. Accurate and robust robotic navigation of flexible manipulators will enable enhanced visualization and treatment during procedures.
authors.affiliation: John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.
authors.forename: Alperen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Degirmenci
authors.affiliation: John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.
authors.forename: Paul M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Loschak
authors.affiliation: Harvard-Thorndike Electrophysiology Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215 USA.
authors.forename: Cory M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Tschabrunn
authors.affiliation: Harvard-Thorndike Electrophysiology Institute, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215 USA.
authors.forename: Elad
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Anter
authors.affiliation: John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA.
authors.forename: Robert D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Howe