A Force Feedback Teleoperated Needle Insertion Device for Percutaneous Procedures

A novel robotized tool for percutaneous interventions under CT-scanner guidance is presented in this paper. This teleoperated compact robotic device can be used as an end-effector for an image-guided positioning robot. It is fully compatible with computed tomography constraints. In particular, it is able to manipulate needles that are longer than the overall height of its body. This novel device mimics the manual gesture performed by the physician by grasping and re-grasping the needle. This operating principle enables direct force measurement on the inserted surgical needle and allows efficient tele-operation with force feedback. In the paper, the specifications of this needle driver are presented and the proposed design is explained. Experiments conducted on swine under operating conditions were performed in order to validate both the concept and the design of the proposed insertion device in the context of teleoperated needle insertions with force feedback.