SBIR Phase II: Robotic Scrub Technician

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目将开发一名机器人擦洗技师，利用机器人技术在手术过程中预测外科医生对器械的要求。第二阶段的研究将建立在第一阶段工作取得的成功的基础上，并将在机器人当前的物理和感觉系统上实施认知架构。为了验证认知架构，机器人将在物理模拟器和实验动物上执行手术时协助外科医生。这样，机器人和人类的错误都将发挥作用。机器人的行动将使用速度和临床适当性标准进行判断，认知架构将进行修改，以消除不受欢迎的行为。预计该机器人将以临床可接受的方式进行操作。该项目的商业影响将在医疗保健领域。拟议的工作解决了护士技术员严重短缺的问题，并可降低医院的人事成本。此外，在这种环境中使用机器人可能会解放人类技术人员来做更关键的任务。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will develop a robotic scrub technician that anticipates a surgeon's request for an instrument during surgery using robotics technology. Phase II research will build upon the success achieved in Phase I work , and will implement cognitive architecture over the current physical and sensory system of the robot. To validate the cognitive architecture, the robot will assist surgeons while performing operations on a physical simulator and in experimental animals. In this way, errors both robotic and human will come into play. The robot's actions will be judged using criteria for speed and clinical appropriateness, and the cognitive architecture will be modified to eliminate undesired behaviors. It is expected that the robot will perform in a clinically acceptable way. The commercial impact of this project will be in the area of healthcare. The proposed work addresses the issue of critical shortage of nurse technicians, and could reduce personnel costs in hospitals. Furthermore, the use of robots for this environment may free up human technicians to do more critical tasks.