A Novel Ultrasound Robot With Force/Torque Measurement and Control for Safe and Efficient Scanning

Medical ultrasound is of increasing importance in medical diagnosis and intraoperative assistance and possesses great potential advantages when integrated with robotics. However, some concerns, including the operation efficiency, operation safety, image quality, and comfort of patients, remain after introducing robotics into medical ultrasound. In this paper, an ultrasound robot integrating a force control mechanism, force/torque measurement mechanism, and online adjustment method, is proposed to overcome the current limitations. The ultrasound robot can measure operating forces and torques, provide adjustable constant operating forces, eliminate great operating forces introduced by accidental operations, and…

• WT
  Wellcome Trust

  Awards: 203148/Z/16/Z, 102431, 203148, WT 203148/Z/16/Z
• NB
  NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust/Institute of Cancer Research
• NI
  National Institute for Health and Care Research

  Awards: 102431, 203148/Z/16/Z
• KC
  King's College London

  Award: WT 203148/Z/16/Z
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China

  Award: 62003339
• EA
  Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council

  Awards: 102431, WT 203148/Z/16/Z, WT 203148/Z/16/, 203148/Z/16/Z
• CF
  Centre For Medical Engineering, King’s College London

  Awards: 203148/Z/16/Z, WT 203148/Z/16/Z