Jun Sheng

BME (ROBO) Ph.D. Defense Presentation

Date: Tuesday, July 2, 2019

Time: 10:30 am -12:30 pm
Location: Room 1212, Klaus Advanced Computing Building, Georgia Tech Campus

Committee Members: 
Dr. Jaydev P. Desai (Advisor) - Department of Biomedical Engineering, GT
Dr. Jun Ueda - School of Mechanical Engineering, GT
Dr. Frank L. Hammond III - Department of Biomedical Engineering, GT
Dr. John N. Oshinski - Department of Biomedical Engineering, GT
Dr. Zachary L. Bercu – School of Medicine, Emory University

Title: Smart Actuation and Sensing for Meso-scale Surgical Robotic Systems

Abstract: 
By using meso-scale steerable surgical robots, surgical outcomes can potentially be improved due to the higher precision and maneuverability of robotic tools compared to conventional passive tools. Meanwhile, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is a common health issue and affects a significantly large population. It occurs when blood accumulates inside the brain due to the rupture of blood vessels. The objective of this dissertation is to develop a compact meso-scale surgical robot for neurosurgical intracerebral hemorrhage evacuation (NICHE). Given the motion capability required by ICH evacuation, shape memory alloy (SMA) and optical sensing techniques have been explored to develop fundamental smart actuation and sensing modules for imaging-guided surgical procedures. More specifically, the dissertation consists of the following main areas: 1) design, modeling, and control of a compact SMA torsion module based on customized SMA torsion springs, 2) development of an SMA bending module under conductive heating actuation with improved reliability and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatibility, 3) design, fabrication, and evaluation of a fiberoptic rotation sensor based on light intensity modulation (LIM) for the motion feedback of the SMA torsion module, and 4) development and evaluation of a fiber Bragg grating (FBG) bending sensor to measure the large-curvature deflection of the SMA bending module. The NICHE robot is comprised of an SMA bending module as the distal bending tip and an SMA torsion module for tip articulation. By equipping the NICHE robot with electrocautery tips and suction tubing, the robot is able to cauterize and then evacuate blood clot within the brain. In addition, a skull-mounted robotic headframe is developed to precisely manipulate the NICHE robot for neurosurgical procedures. The developed robotic systems have been evaluated using phantom and cadaver models under computed tomography (CT) and MR imaging guidance as a proof-of-concept.