Design and characteristics evaluation of a novel teleoperated robotic catheterization system with force feedback for vascular interventional surgery

In this paper, we proposed a novel master-slave robotic catheterization system with force feedback for VIS (Vascular Interventional Surgery). The force feedback to the operator on the master side is the key factor to improve the safety during VIS. The developed system used the MR (magneto rheological) fluid to realize force feedback, and it used the developed multidimensional monitoring interface to realize the visualization of force feedback, the developed multidimensional monitoring interface can monitor the motion information of the catheter and contact force between catheter tip or side wall and blood vessel wall, and the motion data of the catheter was collected and generated diagram for reference to surgeon. We have developed a force sensor array to detect the contact force between catheter tip or side wall and blood vessel wall. The force information was detected by the developed contact force sensor array when the catheter contacted with the blood vessel. The force feedback and multidimensional information monitoring interface evaluation experiments were done, the tracking characteristic evaluation experiments were also carried out, the experimental results indicated that the developed novel robotic catheterization system with force feedback and visualization of force feedback is effective for VIS, it can improve the safety during VIS.