An Open-Source 7-Axis, Robotic Platform to Enable Dexterous Procedures within CT Scanners

• Main Authors: Schreiber, Dimitri A., Shak, Daniel B., Norbash, Alexander M., Yip, Michael C.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• ISSN: 2153-0866
• DOI: 10.1109/IROS40897.2019.8968552

This paper describes the design, manufacture, and performance of a highly dexterous, low-profile, 7 Degree-of-Freedom (DoF) robotic arm for CT-guided percutaneous needle biopsy. Direct CT guidance allows physicians to localize tumours quickly; however, needle insertion is still performed by hand. This system is mounted to a fully active motion stage superior to the patient's head and teleoperated by a radiologist. Unlike other similar robots, this robot's fully serial-link approach uses a unique combination of belt and cable drives for high-transparency and minimal-backlash, allowing for an expansive working area and numerous approach angles to targets, all while maintaining a small in-bore cross-section of less than 16cm 2 . Simulations verified the system's expansive collision free work-space and ability to hit targets across the entire chest, as required for lung cancer biopsy. Targeting error was on average