title: Development of a Meso-Scale SMA-Based Torsion Actuator for Image-Guided Procedures.
abstract: This paper presents the design, modeling, and control of a meso-scale torsion actuator based on shape memory alloy (SMA) for image-guided surgical procedures. Developing a miniature torsion actuator is challenging, but it opens the possibility of significantly enhancing the robot agility and maneuverability. The proposed torsion actuator is bi-directionally actuated by a pair of antagonistic SMA torsion springs through alternate Joule heating and natural cooling. The torsion actuator is integrated into a surgical robot prototype to demonstrate its working performance in the humid environment under C-Arm CT image guidance.
authors.affiliation: Medical Robotics and Automation Laboratory (RoboMed) in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 USA.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sheng
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA.
authors.forename: Dheeraj
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA.
authors.forename: Rao
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gullapalli
authors.affiliation: University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21201 USA.
authors.forename: J Marc
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Simard
authors.affiliation: Medical Robotics and Automation Laboratory (RoboMed) in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332 USA.
authors.forename: Jaydev P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Desai
keywords: CT imaging; Torsion actuator; control; maximum motion range; meso-scale robot; shape memory alloy