IEEE ICRA 2012 Needle Steering Workshop

A biologically inspired percutaneous system for soft tissue intervention

Ferdinando Rodriguez y Baena1

1 Imperial College, London

Abstract

To date, percutaneous needle steering remains an open research challenge. The novel approach presented here finds its roots in the unique egg-laying mechanism of certain insects and specifically of the wood wasp, Sirex Noctilio (Figure 1a). The ovipositor of this small insect has the main function of delivering eggs through a hollow tube along its length. Its tip (Figure 1b) is about 0.2~0.3 mm in diameter and can drill to a depth of up to 20 mm into the sapwood of a tree [1]. The ovipositor itself consists of two interlocked halves, or “valves,” rather like the zip on a “ziplock” polythene bag, which slide relative to each other. Backwards pointing teeth (numbered in Figure 1b) hold on to the substrate, resisting pulling forces. The pull on one of the valves provides stabilisation along the length of the ovipositor to prevent buckling so that the other valve can be pushed with an equal and opposite force, to produce a net force near zero. The reciprocating motion of the two valves drives the ovipositor’s motion, as one valve is pushed deeper into the wood stabilised by tension generated in the other valve (Figure 1c). Since there is virtually no net force in the ovipositor assemblage, there are no stability problems and there is no theoretical limit on its length. In summary, the wood wasp’s anatomy showcases Nature’s unique approach to the needle steering problem: an insertion mechanism which does not require rotary motion or impaction and where buckling is not an issue, as the ovipositor “pulls itself” deeper into the substrate through the reciprocating motion of interlocked textured segments. The talk will highlight some of our latest results on the development of an advanced research platform on steerable percutaneous robotics, covering aspects of mechanical engineering modelling of the tool-tissue interface, mechatronics and control.

Figure 1: (a) Woodwasp, Sirex Noctilio, drilling into wood, (b) scanning electron microscope view of the ovipositor tip [1], (c) diagrammatic view of the drilling mechanism.

[1]          Vincent et al. The Mechanism of Drilling by Wood Wasp Ovipositors. Biomimetics 1995;3(4):187-201.


Related Publications

  • Kerl, J., Rodriguez y Baena, F., Oldfield, M., Frasson, L’, Parittotokkaporn, T., Beyrau, F., Tissue deformation analysis using a laser based digital image correlation technique, Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, Accepted 27 October 2011.

  • Ko S.K., Rodriguez y Baena F., Trajectory Following for a Flexible Probe with State/Input Constraints: an Approach based on Model Predictive Control, Journal of Control and Autonomous Systems, Conditionally Accepted 17 October 2011.

  • Parittotokkaporn T, Thomas D., Degeenar P., Rodriguez y Baena F., Microtextured surfaces for deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes: a biologically inspired design to reduce lead migration, World Neurosurgery, Accepted 24 June 2011.

  • Frasson L., Ferroni F., Ko S.Y., Dogangil G., Rodriguez y Baena F., Experimental evaluation of a novel steerable probe [...], J Robotic Surg, Accepted 9 May 2011.

  • Oldfield M.J., Dini D., Giordano G., Rodriguez y Baena F., Detailed finite element modelling of deep needle insertions into a soft tissue phantom using a cohesive approach, Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, Accepted 1 April 2011.

  • Ko S.Y., Frasson L., Rodriguez y Baena F., Closed-Loop Planar Motion Control of a Steerable Probe with a “Programmable Bevel” Inspired by Nature, IEEE Trans. on Rob., 27(5), 2011.

  • Frasson L., Ko S.K., Turner, A., Parittotokkaporn, T., Vincent J.F., Rodriguez y Baena F., STING: a soft tissue intervention and neurosurgical guide, Proc Inst Mech Eng [H], 224(6), 2010.

  • Frasson L., Parittotokkaporn T., Davies B.L., Rodriguez y Baena F., Early Developments of a Novel Smart Actuator Inspired by Nature, Intelligent Systems technologies App., 8(1-4), 2010.

  • Schneider A., Frasson L., Parittotokkaporn T., Rodriguez y Baena F., Davies B.L., Huq E., Biomimetic microtexturing for neurosurgical probe surfaces to influence tribological characteristics during tissue penetration, Microelectronic Engineering, 86(4-6), 2009.

Links

http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/mechatronicsinmedicine/research/biomimeticflexibleandsteerableprobeforneurosurgery