Development of a surgical tele-operation system using virtual reality techniques and sensor fusion techniques

1. 远程手术系统的原型开发：设计并开发了远程手术系统的原型，并对系统的可行性进行了研究。该系统由：1)两个CCD相机组成，或用于显微手术的显微系统，配备两个CCD相机，可以实现立体成像；2)护目镜状头戴式显示器；3)机械手臂，手臂头部有机械手；4)控制机械臂运动的主机械手和从机械手。来自ccd的视觉信息信号和来自主机械手的从机械手的远程控制信号通过两条ISDN线进行传输。为了研究该系统的可行性，在隔壁房间或约10公里外的另一个研究所使用该系统，通过从机械手抓取的激光光纤进行激光束切割或凝固动物组织目标点的试验。使用更加立体的图像，使操作人员有距离感，从而使他们能够移动从机械手；虽然主机械手的操作和从机械手的运动之间有很短的延迟，但这主要是由于图像和控制信号的处理以及这些信号与ISDN信号之间的转换有延迟。机械手：初步设计并开发了主从机械手系统。该系统由几层金属环组成，这些金属环通过电线相互连接，并将其放在手指上使用。该导线用于检测主机械手根据手指位置的偏差所引起的偏差，并通过限制操作者手指的运动，将作用力（作用于各从机械手）传递给各手指。采用阻抗控制方法设计了一种由四根手指组成并能以最佳力抓握物体的机械手系统，并采用并行处理方法设计了一种可实现超高速（1msec）跟踪的视觉跟踪系统。目前，正在尝试装备一种使用压力传感橡胶的传感器系统，以便将作用于机械手的压力分布反馈给操作者的手指。通过刺激周围神经纤维产生人工感觉采用微神经图法，目的是在清醒的受试者中通过刺激周围神经中的单个感觉神经纤维来产生“高等级”的人工感觉。神经纤维的微刺激使受试者产生触觉、疼痛等感觉，但还需要进一步的研究来证实刺激的幅度和频率如何影响所产生的感觉。设计并研制了一种神经再生电极的原型，该电极可对周围神经纤维进行长期、多通道的刺激。将电极植入大鼠坐骨神经，证实电极功能良好。少

1. DEVELOPMENT OF A PROTOTYPE OF A REMOTELY OPERATED SURGICAL SYSTEM :A prototype of a remotely operated surgical system was designed and developed, and the feasibility of the system was studied. The system was composed of : 1) either two CCD cameras, or microscopic system for microsurgery equipped with two CCD cameras, which allow stereoscopic images ; 2) a goggle-shaped head mounted display ; 3) a robot arm with manipulators at the arm head ; 4) master manipulators to control the movement of the robot arm and slave manipulators. The signals of the visual information from the CCDs, and the remote control signals of the slave manipulators from the master manipulators, were trasferred through two ISDN lines. In order to study the feasibility of the system, trial to cut or coagulate target points of animal tissues by a laser beam through a laser fiber gripped by the slave manipulator were performed using the system from the next room, or from another institute about 10 km away.The use of … More stereoscopic images enabled the operators to have a sense of distance, and thus allow them to move the slave manipulator ; to the optimum position easily, although there was a very short delay between the manipulation of the master manipulator and the movement of the slave manipulator this was mainly due to the delay in processing the image and the control signals and in the conversion between those signals and the ISDN signal.2. MANIPULATORS : A master and slave manipulator system was designed and developed originally. The system is composed of several layrs of metal rings which are connected with each other by wires, and was used putting it on the fingers. The wire was used to detect the deviation of the master manipulator which causes in accordance with the deviation of the position of the finger, and as well, to transmit the force (which is acted to each slave manipulator) to each finger by restricting the movement of the fingers of the operator.A robot hand system which consists of four fingers and allow to grip objects with optimum force using the impedance control method, and a visual tracking system which allow super high speed (l msec) tracking using parallel processing method, were tried to be introduced into the tele-operating surgical system. At present, an attempt to equip a sensor system using pressure sensing rubber is being made in order to feedback pressure distribution which is acting the robot hand to the fingers of the operator.3. GENERATION OF ARTIFICIAL SENSATIONS BY STIMULATING PERIPHERAL NERVE FIBERSMicroneurogram method was used in order to generate 'high grade' artificial sensations by stimulating single sensory nerve fiber (in peripheral nerve) using awake human subjects. The micro-stimulation of the nerve fiber enabled the subjects to generate the sense of touch, pain, etc., although further studies are necessary to confirm how the amplitude and frequency of the stimulation affect the generated sensations.4. ELECTRODES CAPABLE OF LONG-TERM,MULTI-CHANNEL STIMULATING OF NERVE FIBERSA prototype of a nerve-regenerative electrode which allows long-term, multi-channel stimulation of the peripheral nerve fibers was designed and developed. The electrode was implanted at the sciatic nerve of the rats, and it was confirmed that the implanted electrode functioned well. Less