2A1-C05 Feedback control to search internal organ for robotic echography by real time recognition of echogram

Abstract

We have developed a feedback control system to support to search internal organ for robotic echography. We have constructed a parallel link robot for echography to move the ultrasound probe as doctor's desire using a controller with haptics. However, in case of remote diagnosis (tele-echography), it is difficult to find the target organ because all information for the operator is displayed on the monitor. Therefore we have developed a software to recognize the shape and the motion of heart by processing successive echograms and reflecting to robot control for autonomous search of heart. We have confirmed the possibility to search optimal cross section of a phantom of heart in a preliminary experiment to shorter time to find heart for robotic tele-echography.