A Biomimetic Flexible Soft Tissue Probe for Computer Assisted Minimally Invasive Intervention

这项拟议的研究涉及一种仿生软组织探头的设计和概念证明，该探头的灵感来自于钻木黄蜂的产卵器，并将其应用于计算机辅助脑活检。探头将能够沿着身体内的曲线路径进行引导，但与木材黄蜂的产卵器不同，它将移位组织(例如注射器针)，而不是取出组织(例如钻孔)。从本质上讲，这种仿生探头将使中空管能够准确地插入软组织深处，而不需要开发自然的开口，用于任何数量的微创手术。这项可行性研究将集中在三个方面：探头设计、驱动和控制。它还将为进一步开发智能探头奠定基础，在这种探头中，插入过程由术前图像数据交互指导，允许以更高的准确性和重复性访问大脑和人体其他区域的深层病变。通过术前对探头插入和靶点的精确规划，即通过规划适当的轨迹，将两者之间的距离降至最低，同时避开主要静脉、动脉、神经和其他重要结构，也可以减少因未确诊和术后出血而引起的手术并发症。计划的程序将在计算机辅助下由柔性探头在手术室中执行。拟议的项目将包括三个主要部分：1)能够在软组织中平滑三维运动的柔性探头的设计；2)驱动探头的驱动机构和控制策略的设计；3)将探头和执行机构集成到适合于合成软组织标本的体外实验的全功能系统中。探头设计基本上由两部分组成(直径1 mm-3 mm，长约40 cm)的薄活检探头，通过两半的往复运动将头部驱动到组织中，而不需要施加在底部的任何外力；该驱动单元由三个致动器以及控制软件和硬件组成；用于进度监测和用户交互的图形界面；以及可选的用于实时监测探头位置的跟踪装置(例如磁跟踪器)。这将需要对合适的材料、表面涂层和表面形貌进行调查，以将插入探头对周围组织的影响降至最低。还需要进一步研究开发合适的探头驱动方法，以避免任何组织损伤，以及自动瞄准和避障的控制策略。

The proposed research involves the design and proof of concept of a biomimetic soft tissue probe, inspired by the ovipositor of a wood-boring wasp, with an application to computer assisted brain biopsy. The probe will be able to be steered along curved paths within the body, but in contrast to the wood wasp's ovipositor, will displace the tissue (e.g. syringe needle) rather than removing it (e.g. drilling). In essence, the biomimetic probe will enable a hollow tube to be inserted deep into soft tissue accurately, without the need to exploit a natural orifice, for use in any number of minimally invasive procedures. This feasibility study will focus on three aspects: probe design, actuation, and control. It will also lay the foundation for the further development of an intelligent probe where the insertion process is guided interactively by pre-operative image data, allowing deep lesions of the brain and other regions of the human body to be accessed with greater accuracy and repeatability. Operative complications due to non-diagnosis and post-operative haemorrhaging could also be reduced through precise pre-operative planning of the probe's insertion and target points i.e. through the planning of a suitable trajectory that would minimise the distance between the two, whilst avoiding major veins, arteries, nerves and other vital structures. The planned procedure would be executed in the operating theatre by the flexible probe under computer assistance.The proposed project will comprise three main components:1) The design of a flexible probe capable of smooth three-dimensional motion through soft tissue.2) The design of an actuation mechanism and control strategy to drive the probe.3) The integration of the probe and the actuation mechanism into a fully functional system suitable for in vitro experimentation on synthetic soft tissue specimen.The probe design will essentially be composed of a two-part thin biopsy probe (1mm-3mm diameter, approximately 40cm in length), with the reciprocating motion of the two halves driving the head into the tissue without the need for any external force applied at the base; the drive unit, composed of three actuators, plus control software and hardware; a graphical interface for progress monitoring and user interaction; and, optionally, a tracking device (e.g. the magnetic tracker) to monitor the position of the probe head in real-time. This will require an investigation into suitable materials, surface coatings and surface topographies to minimise the impact that inserting the probe would have on the surrounding tissue. Further research will also be needed on the development of suitable probe actuation methods, in order to avoid any tissue damage, and control strategies, for automatic targeting and obstacle avoidance.