Fabrication and Initial Cadaveric Trials of Bi-directional Soft Hydrogel Robotic Benders Aiming for Biocompatible Robot-Tissue Interactions

Abstract

Technological advancement recently exhibited engaging promises to use the multifaceted robot controlled medical devices in surgery and clinical setting for optimal navigation and surveillance purposes. Most of such medical devices used in surgical applications, still rely on direct vision based rigid, metallic substances to guide surgeons throughout the operational procedures. Here we demonstrate, world's first bi-directional shape-memory alloy (SMA) actuated hydrogel based biocompatible soft robot platform for optimally controllable bending navigation aiming for safer robot-tissue interactions such as in TransOral Robotic Surgery (TORS). The design depicted here utilizes technology of soft robotics, a soft hydrogel actuator that is capable of bending bi-directionally while maintaining a safe surface temperature for applications in biological environment. The prototype demonstrated in this article reached deflection angles of up to 45.5°. With an initial cadaveric experiment outlaid here, we have shown an emerging promise and limitations, challenges that the soft medical device will encounter during real-time robot-tissue interactions.