Robotic Arm Manipulator with Haptic Feedback Using Progammable System on Chip

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 TELE-ROBOTIC SURGERY

2.2 HAPTICS IN SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS

2.2.1 FORCE FEEDBACK DEVICES

2.2.2 TACTILE DEVICES

2.2.3 SOFIE (SURGICAL ROBOT)

2.3 MODULES OF SURGICAL SYSTEM

2.3.1 MASTER-SLAVE ROBOTIC SURGERY

2.3.3 MASTER UNIT

2.3.4 MECHANICAL WORK

2.3.5 ELECTRICAL WORK

FUNCTIONALITY AND DESIGN

3.1 MECHANICAL STRUCTURE & EQUATION DERIVATION

3.1.1 PRO E DESIGN

3.1.2 ROBOTIC ARM COMPONENTS DESCRIPTION

3.1.3 FORWARD AND BACKWARD MOTION (‘R’)

3.1.4 VERTICAL MOTION (Z-AXIS)

3.1.5 MOVEMENT IN XY PLANE

3.2 ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS

3.2.1 MAXON DC MOTOR WITH ENCODER & GEARBOX

3.2.2 FORCE SENSOR

3.2.3 TRANSDUCER

3.2.5 ROBOTIC ARM GRIPPER

3.2.6 H-BRIDGE DESIGN:

3.3 SOFTWARE COMPONENTS

3.3.1 PROJECT TOP MODEL PSOC CREATOR

3.3.2 MICROSOFT VISUAL C#

3.3.3 .NET FRAMEWORK PLATFORM ARCHITECTURE

3.3.4 PROJECT REQUIREMENTS FOR GUI

3.3.5 COMMUNICATION METHODOLOGY

3.3.6 COMMUNICATION PROTOCOL

3.3.7 PROJECT INTERFACE

3.3.8 VISUAL STUDIO C# CODE

3.3.9 PSOC CODE EXPLANATION

IMPLEMENTATION AND RESULT DISCUSSION

4.1 METHODS AND ALGORITHM USED FOR FEEDBACK

4.1.1 CURRENT SENSING

4.1.2 POSITION ESTIMATION (DIGITAL ENCODERS)

4.1.3 OBJECT DETECTION USING FSR AT GRIPPER

4.2 EXPERIMENT RESULTS AND THEIR ANALYSIS

4.2.1 HARD OBJECTS (ANIMAL BONE):

4.2.2 SOFT OBJECTS:

4.2.3 SEMI HARD OBJECTS (ANIMAL FLESH):

FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

Project Goals and Themes

The primary objective of this work is the design and development of a low-cost, effective robotic arm manipulator with haptic feedback capabilities for use in robot-assisted surgery. The project focuses on creating a Master-Slave system that allows an operator to receive kinesthetic force feedback and visual data, thereby enhancing the precision, ergonomics, and safety of surgical procedures by mitigating the limitations of conventional robotic systems.

• Development of a cost-effective haptic feedback system using sensor fusion.
• Implementation of three feedback methods: current sensing, force-sensitive resistors (FSR), and position estimation.
• Design and modeling of a robotic arm mechanical structure with 6 degrees of freedom.
• Creation of an interactive Graphical User Interface (GUI) for real-time monitoring of forces and joint motions.
• Integration of PSoC (Programmable System on Chip) for control and communication between the Master and Slave units.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

INTRODUCTION: Provides an overview of the role of robotics in modern surgery, highlighting the need for haptic feedback to overcome limitations in minimally invasive robotic surgery.

LITERATURE REVIEW: Examines the history and evolution of tele-robotic surgery, existing haptic feedback technologies, and the master-slave control topology.

FUNCTIONALITY AND DESIGN: Details the mechanical design, equation derivation for robotic motion, and the selection of electronic components including PSoC and software architecture.

IMPLEMENTATION AND RESULT DISCUSSION: Describes the algorithms for feedback and presents experimental data obtained by testing the system on various objects of different hardness levels.

FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION: Summarizes the success of the low-cost design and proposes future improvements such as incorporating tactile strength measurements into the control scheme.

Keywords

Robotic Surgery, Haptic Feedback, Master-Slave Topology, Programmable System on Chip, PSoC, Force Sensitive Resistor, FSR, Current Sensing, Tele-Robotic, Minimally Invasive Surgery, Robotic Arm, GUI, Actuator, Digital Encoder, Kinesthetic Feedback

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this research project?

This project focuses on designing and developing a low-cost robotic arm system capable of providing haptic feedback to the operator during remote surgical procedures.

Which specific areas of robotics are addressed?

The primary fields covered include medical robotics, specifically robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery (RMIS), and the integration of haptic control systems.

What is the ultimate goal of the proposed robotic system?

The goal is to develop a cost-effective, commercially viable force-sensing module that enables surgeons to feel tool-tissue interactions, thereby improving surgical accuracy and reducing patient trauma.

What scientific methodology is utilized in this design?

The authors use a Master-Slave topology, incorporating three distinct feedback methods: current sensing for torque estimation, FSRs for object detection, and digital encoders for motion replication.

What is the main contribution of the hardware/software section?

The main contribution is the integration of the PSoC architecture for real-time control and a custom GUI for visual feedback, combined with mathematical modeling of the arm's mechanical movements.

What are the primary keywords associated with this study?

Key terms include Robotic Surgery, Haptic Feedback, PSoC, Force Sensitive Resistor (FSR), and Master-Slave Topology.

How is the hardness of an object determined by the robotic arm?

Hardness is determined by measuring the area under the current or FSR voltage curves during the gripping process; harder objects cause more resistance and thus higher sensor readings.

Why is PSoC utilized in the control circuit?

PSoC is used because it combines a CPU with configurable analog and digital peripherals, providing a single-chip platform that is flexible for prototyping and implementing complex control logic.

How does the GUI assist the surgeon?

The GUI provides real-time visualization of forces, object size, and joint motions, allowing the operator to monitor the slave unit's state and detect object compliance through color-coded intensity displays.

What are the practical applications of the calculated object size?

Beyond identifying objects, measuring size can be critically beneficial in clinical settings for assessing medical conditions such as internal swelling or tissue deformation.