Development of a miniature neurosurgical robotic system with multi-DOF forceps targeted for tasks in deep spaces

Abstract

In neurosurgery, precise and complicated surgical tasks are required to be performed in deep and narrow spaces in the brain, and such surgical tasks are difficult even for skilled surgeons. Many master-slave neurosurgical robots have been developed to assist surgeons; however, previously developed systems are rather bulky and do not have sufficient degrees of freedom (DOFs). Therefore, we are developing a new miniature master-slave neurosurgical robotic system targeted for tasks in deep and narrow spaces of the brain. This robot is equipped with multi-DOF robotic forceps for tasks in deep and narrow spaces. This paper describes the mechanical design and control method of the robot. As a preliminary experiment, a needle insertion task was performed using a model simulating a workspace, showing promising results.