Augmented-reality based digital surrogates in mr safe surgical robots
Vincent Groenhuis (EEMCS-RaM), Lennard Marx (EEMCS-RaM)
Abstract
Many surgical robots are being developed, also at University of Twente. We all know the Da Vinci system for laparoscopy, but in this session we focus on robots inside the MRI scanner. The confined space and high magnetic field makes robot-assisted surgical procedures particularly challenging. A typical procedure is to take a biopsy sample from a lesion which is only visible on MRI, for example in diagnosis of cancer in breast prostate, liver or other organ. A robotic system is theoretically able to position a biopsy needle with greater accuracy than a radiologist can. Recently we developed an augmented reality interface for controlling a pneumatically-driven biopsy robot. A Hololens 2 is used to project a digital surrogate phantom with virtual robot which can be manipulated by hand gestures. Could this novel and innovative system also be effectively brought to hospitals? Can doctors possibly get comfortable with robotic technology operating on patients inside the MRI scanner? Or is it too dangerous, complicated, time-intensive, costly?
The focus of this sandpit session is to investigate the barriers between surgical robot prototypes and application in hospitals. This broad topic obviously has been extensively discussed already, and here we specifically focus on the combination of MR safe robots and augmented reality control by digital surrogates. We bring our prototype to the sandpit session so that participants in turn can experience the unique way of controlling our surgical robot. We hold several brainstorm/discussion rounds and address technical, clinical and business aspects to reach a concluding statement.