A Master-Salve Robot Manipulator for Needle-Based Teleoperation in MRI Chamber
2026-08-06 • Robotics
Robotics
AI summaryⓘ
The authors developed a robot that can safely operate inside an MRI machine to help with abdominal procedures. This robot includes a master controller that a person uses, which sends movements and forces through fluid to a slave robot that performs the task. Their system allows many ways to control the robot, including manual and digital methods, and can assist with difficult tasks like precise needle insertion. They tested the device in a real MRI environment using a pig, showing it works well for manual control during procedures. The robot is specially designed to work safely and accurately inside the MRI without interfering with the imaging.
MR safe robotmaster-slave manipulatorfluid transmission2+1 degrees of freedomelastomeric fluid actuatorsneedle insertionreal-time MRI guidancevirtual fixturesmotion compensationin-vivo experiment
Authors
Omar Curiel, Jing-Yuan Huang, Po-Chih Chen, Ji Ma, Qing Dai, Wenqi Zhou, David Lu, Holden H. Wu, Tsu-Chin Tsao
Abstract
We present a MR safe, master-slave robot manipulator for abdominal interventions in the MRI chamber. A human operated 2+1-DoF master controller manipulator transmits motion and force to a 2+1-DoF slave manipulator via fluid transmission. Jointly, a digital master controller provides multimodal control capability beyond common split axis or mode switchable hybrid human-digital controller configurations found in previous studies. High input impedance, low-leakage, elastomeric fluid actuators are delegated to remote angulation control. Low-friction graphite piston cylinders are delegated to needle insertion axis remote actuation given the sub-newton force transparency and sub-millimeter motion transmission over bedside fluid piping lengths. The device enables real-time MRI guided interventions allowing manual, digital, hybrid, and collaborative control modes. Collaborative tasks such as assisted tissue penetration, fault-driven virtual fixture, and motion compensation through feedback control are presented in this paper. Preliminary MR scanner results demonstrate manipulator functional viability for an in-vivo pig experiment in bedside, manual control mode configuration.