Force Feedback Teleoperation System for Intelligent Micro Catheter

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Our research objective is to realize a nobel telesurgery system for intravascular neurosurgery using a catheter. We have developed and evaluated three important components of telesurgery. The first one is a micro force sensor which has been installed in the tip of catheter, the second one is a visual assistance method, and the third one is a force display method.We developed a very small force sensor. The diameter of the micro force sensor is 1.6mm. We measured the characteristics of the sensor and we confirmed its good linearity and sensitivity. We have also performed an in vivo experiment, and confirmed that our micro force sensor worked well in the living body.Visual assistance method helps an operator to understand the shape and geometric relation between the catheter and blood vessels. This method is an algorithm to present the most suitable view point for the operation. We have also performed a teleoperation experiment of this method on the high speed optical network, and had a good result.Force display method displays two information. One is a real force information that is measured by two force sensors installed in the slave unit. The other is an environment information of slave side, which is displayed as an virtual impedance parameters of master unit. We performed some basic experiments of these force display methods and confirmed its effectiveness to improve safety and operativity while the teleoperation of a catheter.We will continue to develop these components, integrate these devices and methods, and realize more sophisticated telesurgery system in future.