Real-Time Localization of Cochlear-Implant Electrode Arrays Using Bipolar Impedance Sensing.

Objective: Surgeons have no direct objective feedback on cochlear-implant electrode array (EA) positioning during insertion, yet optimal hearing outcomes are contingent on placing the EA as close as feasible to viable neural endings. This paper describes a system to non-invasively determine intracochlear positioning of an EA, without requiring any modifications to existing commercial EAs themselves.

Methods: Electrical impedance has been suggested as a way to measure EA proximity to the inner wall of the cochlea that houses auditory nerve endings-the modiolus.

A multi-subject accuracy study on granular jamming for non-invasive attachment of fiducial markers to patients.

Purpose: This short communication describes experimental evaluation of a new granular jamming cap (GJC) recently introduced in Wellborn et al. (Int J Comput Assist Radiol Surg 12(6):1069-1077, 2017). The contributions beyond [8] are (1) to evaluate accuracy across multiple human subjects, and (2) to determine how much of the accuracy improvement is attributable to improved fiducial marker arrangement alone, and how much is due to granular jamming.

A Hand-Held Non-Robotic Surgical Tool With a Wrist and an Elbow.

Objective: This paper describes a surgical device that provides both wrist and elbow dexterity without motors or electronics. The device provides dexterity advantages in minimally invasive surgery typically associated with robotic systems, but does so with many fewer components. Fully mechanical designs of this type promise to deliver "robot-like dexterity" at a lower financial cost than current surgical robotic systems.

A Concentric Tube Continuum Robot with Piezoelectric Actuation for MRI-Guided Closed-Loop Targeting.

This paper presents the design, modeling and experimental evaluation of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible concentric tube continuum robotic system. This system enables MRI-guided deployment of a precurved and steerable concentric tube continuum mechanism, and is suitable for clinical applications where a curved trajectory is needed. This compact 6 degree-of-freedom (DOF) robotic system is piezoelectrically-actuated, and allows simultaneous robot motion and imaging with no visually observable image artifact.

Parsimonious evaluation of concentric-tube continuum robot equilibrium conformation.

Dexterous at small diameters, continuum robots consisting of precurved concentric tubes are well-suited for minimally invasive surgery. These active cannulas are actuated by relative translations and rotations applied at the tube bases, which create bending via elastic tube interaction. An accurate kinematic model of cannula shape is required for applications in surgical and other settings.

Three-dimensional ultrasound-guided robotic needle placement: an experimental evaluation.

Background: Clinical use of image-guided needle placement robots has lagged behind laboratory-demonstrated robotic capability. Bridging this gap requires reliable and easy-to-use robotic systems.

Methods: Our system for image-guided needle placement requires only simple, low-cost components and minimal, entirely off-line calibration.