Towards Soft-robotic Assistance of Ultrasonic Imaging

TY - GEN

T1 - Towards Soft-robotic Assistance of Ultrasonic Imaging

AU - Singh, Gajendra

AU - Chauhan, Manish

AU - Mishra, Deepak

AU - Choudhary, Rahul

AU - Khera, Pushpinder Singh

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 IEEE.

PY - 2024/6/24

Y1 - 2024/6/24

N2 - Sonography plays a critical role in diagnosing various health conditions, but operator-dependent limitations impact imaging quality and consistency. Robotic scanning has emerged as a solution to enhance imaging consistency while reducing operator dependency. This paper presents a compliant soft robotic gripper designed to assist in sonography procedures using hyperelastic materials. The gripper design features four channels with five inflatable strips per channel constructed with Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), allowing for spatial bending when pressurized. Fabrication involves CAD modelling, 3D printing, and silicon casting method-based curing and finally sealed with fabric and silicon. Experimental results demonstrate the gripper’s capability, with a single channel achieving a deflection of approximately 57 degrees. Further optimization of channel length, number of channels, and number of strip configurations and their design is required through analytical or simulation work. The study showcases the feasibility of integrating soft robotics into medical imaging, potentially revolutionizing sonography practices and patient care.

AB - Sonography plays a critical role in diagnosing various health conditions, but operator-dependent limitations impact imaging quality and consistency. Robotic scanning has emerged as a solution to enhance imaging consistency while reducing operator dependency. This paper presents a compliant soft robotic gripper designed to assist in sonography procedures using hyperelastic materials. The gripper design features four channels with five inflatable strips per channel constructed with Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), allowing for spatial bending when pressurized. Fabrication involves CAD modelling, 3D printing, and silicon casting method-based curing and finally sealed with fabric and silicon. Experimental results demonstrate the gripper’s capability, with a single channel achieving a deflection of approximately 57 degrees. Further optimization of channel length, number of channels, and number of strip configurations and their design is required through analytical or simulation work. The study showcases the feasibility of integrating soft robotics into medical imaging, potentially revolutionizing sonography practices and patient care.

KW - hyperelastic material

KW - Pneumatic actuator

KW - soft gripper

KW - Soft robots

KW - Sonography

KW - Ultrasound imaging

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85197712481&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1109/SAUS61785.2024.10563911

DO - 10.1109/SAUS61785.2024.10563911

M3 - Conference contribution

T3 - SAUS 2024 - IEEE South Asian Ultrasonics Symposium, Proceedings

SP - 1

EP - 3

BT - SAUS 2024 - IEEE South Asian Ultrasonics Symposium, Proceedings

PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

T2 - 2024 IEEE South Asian Ultrasonics Symposium, SAUS 2024

Y2 - 27 March 2024 through 29 March 2024

ER -