Robotic Telesurgery Research.

摘要

Two robotic prototypes capable of insertion through a single incision were designed. One robot was a smaller 4 degree of freedom (DOF) robot, while the other robot was a 5 DOF robot. Both of these robots consisted of two halves that could be separately inserted through a single incision, a surrogate for a natural orifice with regard to size. Insertion was accomplished through a single abdominal wall incision, which facilitates experimental progress as we move toward natural orifice insertion. During insertion, each half of the robot contorts to allow insertion into the limited space of the non-insufflated abdominal cavity. The halves are then pulled together and rigidly connected through the use of a central insertion rod and the cavity is then insufflated. Supporting the robot in this way allows for reorientation of the robot into various abdominal quadrants during a process that takes approximately 10 seconds.