4DOF parallel architecture for laparoscopic surgery

Mohammad Aamir Khan, Matteo Zoppi, Rezia Molno University of Genova, DIMEC, Via Opera Pia 15A, 16145, Genova, Italy, e-mail: [aamirkhan,zoppi,molno]@dimec.unige.it

Abstract. This paper analyzes a new laparoscopic surgical setup with two surgical robots. Requirements and constraints are outlined and the architecture selected for the surgical robots is presented and discussed. Analytical models of the inverse and forward kinematics are provided together with a detailed analysis of mobility and constraints. The velocity kinematics is addressed and singularity analysis outlined. Key words: Parallel mechanisms, Robotic surgery, Minimally invasive surgery

1 Introduction and Surgical Requirements

In minimally invasive surgery (MIS) surgeon manipulates tissues using tools inserted through small incisions. It has become standard for various surgical and diagnostic procedures owing to minimal trauma caused to healthy tissues resulting in less post-operative pain and shorter hospitalization. Drawbacks occurs are in the form of drastically reduced haptic feedback, motion reversal effect and hand tremor. Use of telerobotics restores the tactile cues and intuitive dexterity of the surgeon and improves accuracy through force feedback, ltering of hand tremor and motion scaling, [Darzi et al., 2006, Asao et al., 2004]. In spite of extensive research, very few systems are fully commercially available and are expensive and bulky, for instance Da Vinci System. Hence the intention to design a low cost and portable system for laparoscopic surgical and diagnostic procedures. In a standard laparoscopic surgery generally 4 or more key holes are required, [Faraz et al., 2000]: one for scope, two for tools manipulated by surgeon and one for surgical tool handled by assisting nurse. In diagnostic and minor surgical procedures (gynecological) two or even one hole(s) could be sufcient, [Darzi et al., 2006]. In an ideal setup, tools should be placed at equal azimuth angles along a semi circular line (about 160 to 180mm long) centered on the projection of the target organ and /3 elevation angle, [Ferzli et al., 2006]. The inter-port distance can be as close as 50mm, but it is generally around 140mm, [Cavusoglu et al., (2001)]. Angle be1

Mohammad Aamir Khan, Matteo Zoppi, Rezia Molno

tween tools should be /3. Workspace required to reach the full extent of the abdomen cavity, laterally and longitudinally, is /3 and /2 cone angle respectively, [Lum et al., 2006]. Also surgeons spend 95% of the time in a conical workspace with vertex angle of /3. The extrusion of 100mm is adequate. On the bases of these requirements, a 4 degree of freedom (3 rotational and 1 translational) purely parallel architecture was selected, [Zoppi et al., 2005], with 4 legs of the same architecture.

Fig. 1 Original (a) and new architecture (b) and (c)

2 Review of the Original Surgical System

A preliminary 3D virtual mock-up of the architecture in [Zoppi et al., 2005] was constructed, based on drive components and link design selected through force requirements. Two such virtual mock-ups were assembled to realize a surgical conguration with two surgical robots and the possible collision of links was investigated for movements of the robots in their entire work spaces. Due to the force requirements each robot has a large footprint and in the surgical conguration with two units, it is very hard to nd a design avoiding collisions. As shown in Fig. 1(a), even with a design specically developed to avoid collisions, at inter-trocar distance of more then 300mm there are congurations in which arms are still inevitably interfering with each other. The conclusion is that the architecture in [Zoppi et al., 2005] appears to be feasible for diagnostic setups where only one robot is used, and a modied architecture may result in a preferable setup for surgical applications requiring two robots. Various modications of the original architecture were attempted to preserve the advantageous characteristics for surgical application. The result is new architecture shown in Fig. 1(a) and 1(b).

4DOF parallel architecture for laparoscopic surgery

Fig. 2 (a) Heave sub chain for leg A and B, (b) Schematics of the leg C and D

3 Modied Architecture
The new architecture proposed is purely parallel with 4 serial leg chains. Two of the legs (labeled L = A, B) have architecture (RRR)R|R) and each comprise of a spherical sub-mechanism formed by the revolute joints L , L , L (with directions 1 2 3 kL , kL , kL ) intersecting at point O and a heave sub mechanism with two parallel 1 2 3 revolute joints L , L (with direction kL kL ), L L . Other two legs (labeled 4 5 4 3 4 5 L = C, D) with architecture (RRR)|P) comprise of a spherical chain ( L , L , L ) 1 2 3 connected to the end effector by a prismatic joint L with direction parallel to L . 4 3 C and D are parallel and orthogonal to A and B . We consider geometries with 4 4 5 5 A B because there seem to be no advantage in different orientations to obtain 5 5 the desired symmetric workspace. Compared to the original mechanism in [Zoppi et al., 2005], in the new architecture the orientation of the tool is commanded by the spherical legs C and D without heave sub mechanism which in the original mechanism created most of the collision problems. Legs A and B maintain the heave sub-mechanism required to command tool extrusion and torsion. In the surgical setup with two robots, the work-spaces of the robots are oriented in a way that for any feasible torsion angle the legs A and B of both robots are maintained away from each other while shorter and easier to design legs C and D move in the space between the robots without collisions. Following sections present the main steps undertaken to check the feasibility of the new architecture for surgical application and elements of its design.

3.1 Geometry and Conguration Parameters

Consider Fig. 2 (with details of the geometry and conguration parameters). A xed base coordinate frame Oib jb kb and a rotating frame Oio jo ko are introduced. The L L L heave plane e for L = A, B is through O and orthogonal to L . Points P4 and P5 5

Mohammad Aamir Khan, Matteo Zoppi, Rezia Molno

L L are at the intersection of L and L with e , respectively. r4 is the distance between 4 5 L and O. L is the plane orthogonal to k through L , hL is the distance between P4 o 5 h A L h and h (hA = 0). The extrusion of the end effector is measured by the distance h A L L between h and O. The tilt angle 1 and azimuth angle 1 place the base joints L , 1 L L = A, B,C, D, in Oib jb kb . iLj is the angle between i and L , where i = 1, 2 and j j = i + 1. A set of values shown in Tab. 1 for the geometry parameters has been heuristically selected from kinematics and work-space analysis. These values have been used as reference to investigate the suitability of the new mechanism in surgical setups with two robots. To orientate Oio jo ko w.r.t. Oib jb kb the tilt-and-torsion (T&T) representation mentioned in [Bonev et al., 2002] (angles { , , }) is used for the more realistic depiction of constant torsion movements of the surgical tool compared to other representations e.g. Euler angles.

L L L L L L L L L leg l45 /l45 hL /l45 r4 /l45 34 1 1 12 A 1 -0.125 1.875 0.09774 0.69813 0 1.01229 B 1.375 0.75 2.125 0.09774 0.69813 0.69813 1.01229 C 0.69813 3.14159 1.01229 D 0.69813 4.71239 1.01229

L 23 1.01229 1.01229 1.01229 1.01229

L Table 1 Geometry parameters (dimensionless referred to l45 )

3.2 Mobility and Constraint Analysis

The mechanism is purely parallel. The constraint applied by each leg to the endeffector is analyzed and the overall end-effector constraint and mobility is discussed. In any leg L, the twist systems spanned by all joint screws and by the passive joint screws are labeled, TL and PL , respectively. The corresponding reciprocal wrench systems are WL = TL (wrenches, the leg can transmit to the base with all joints free to move) and VL = PL (wrenches, transmitted by the leg with the actuated joint locked). Legs A, B and C, D are analyzed separately distinguishing for each of them different subsets, C L , of the feasible leg conguration space, C L , with different relative i location of the passive joints and consequently different types of constraint systems. The classes for legs A, B are also mentioned in [Zoppi, 2004]. Consider rstly legs A, B. The leg postures qL are described geometrically reL L ferring to the planes 23 through L , L , 45 dened by L , L and 0 through O 2 3 4 5 parallel to A , B . For each class, C L , a subclass, C L , is dened by the additional i i1 5 5 L condition kL 23 . 1 L L L L L C 1 = {q | k4 23 and O 45 }. VL = Span ( L , L ), L force at O with direc0 0 L , L force along L L . If qL C L , W = V else W = Span ( L ). tion k5 L L L 11 23 0 45

4DOF parallel architecture for laparoscopic surgery

L L C L = {qL | kL 23 and O 45 }. VL = Span ( L , L ), L pure moment orthog2 0 4 L ). If qL C L , W = V else W = Span ( L ). onal to 23 L L L 21 0 L L C L = {qL | kL 23 and O 45 }. VL = Span ( L , L ), L pure force through O 3 4 0 L on 45 orthogonal to kL . WL = VL everywhere in C L . 3 4 L L C L = {qL | kL 23 and O 45 }. VL = Span ( L , L , L ). If qL C L , WL = VL 41 4 0 4 L , L ). else WL = Span ( 0 In any nonsingular posture (linearly independent leg joint screws) Span ( L ) = 0 WL VL , dim VL = 2. In any leg singularity Span ( L ) WL VL . 0 Consider now legs C, D. We have only one class with subclass: L L C L = {qL | kL 23 and O 45 }. VL = Span ( L , L , L ), L and L forces 1 4 01 02 01 02 L at O orthogonal to kL , L moment orthogonal to 23 . If qL C L , WL = VL else 11 4 WL = Span ( L , L ). 01 02 For leg C, D in any nonsingular posture (with linearly independent leg joint screws) Span ( L , L ) = WL VL , dim VL = 3. In any leg singularity 01 02 Span ( L , L ) WL VL . 01 02 The WL and VL of the single legs combine in the end-effector spaces of structural constraints, W = L WL , and actuated constraints, V = L VL . If no leg is singular, W = Span ( A , B , C , C , D , D ). Because C D 0 , W = 4 4 0 0 01 02 01 02 W0 = Span ( x , y ), with x and y two forces at O lying in 0 with directions io , jo . dim W0 = 2 and the mechanism has 3 rotational and 1 translational freedoms. dim V = 6 and the mechanism is correctly actuated. Mechanism congurations with at least one qL C L C L , L = A, B, belong to 3 4 the extrusion boundary of the 4-dimensional workspace of the mechanism. The remainder of the boundary contains congurations with qL C L C L , L = A, B, 11 21 or qL C L , L = C, D. All boundary congurations are at least IO-type (Impossible 11 Output) singular, [Zlatanov et al., 1995]. All mechanism congurations with at least one singular leg are singular. Congurations with qL C L C L , L = A, B, and qL C L , L = C, D, belong to the 1 2 1 interior of the workspace. They can be singular although no leg is singular. The following discussion of position and velocity kinematics is mainly addressed to these mechanism congurations. In conclusion, we discuss the localization of RO-type singularities in the interior boundary and show that with the set of geometry parameters selected the desired workspace is singularity-free. There are no constraint singularities because dim W < 3, [Zlatanov et al., 2002].

3.3 Inverse Position Kinematics

The base joint angles are computed for given tool pose (B Ro , h). L L L L L T In each leg kL = c1 c1 s1 c1 s1 . ko is along the axis of the tool. For 1 legs L = C, D, kL =B Ro ko , while kL can be computed as linear combination of kL , 3 2 1 kL , kL kL : 3 1 3

Mohammad Aamir Khan, Matteo Zoppi, Rezia Molno

kL = 1 kL kL 2 1 3

2 1

L L L kL kL kLkL t1 t2 t3 1 3 1 3

(1)

L L L with, t1 = cL cL kL kL , t2 = cL cL kL kL , cLj = ciLj , sLj = siLj , t3 = i i 12 23 1 3 23 12 1 3

|s12 s23 | + eL AB

|s12 s23 | eL , eL = kL kL cL cL . Knowing the direction AB 1 3 12 23 AB

of kL w.r.t. kL the actuation angles can be nally computed. 2 1 L For legs L = A, B, the angle h is derived as:
L c h =

h + hL

L L L + r4 l45 / 2hL r4

(2)

while kA = kA = io , kB = kB = jo . Through vector projection we obtain: kL = 4 4 4r 5 5 L L L L L L sh jo + ch ko and kL = s(34 + h ) jo + c(34 + h ) ko 3 L L L Vector kL is obtained as in Eq. (1). P5 = (h + hL )ko , P4 = r4 kL . 2 4r A graphical mock-up was constructed based on inverse kinematics in Maple to verify the mathematical model.

3.4 Forward Position Kinematics

The pose (B Ro , h) of the end-effector is computed from given actuator angles. The kL are available from the actuated joint angles. Finding B Ro requires determination 2 of angles { , , }. From Fig. 2b, kC = kD = ko . ko can be obtained by linear 3 3 combination of kC , kD , kC kD as outlined in Section 3.3. Angles and come 2 2 2 2 from kb ko = cos , kb ko = j , jb j = cos . Here j is the unit vector along the T&T tilt axis. A B A A B When legs A, B have same geometry, 3 = 3 and h, k3 , 3 , k3 are computed L = cos A , kL kL = cos A (L = A, B) kA solving a system of 7 equations: ko k3 3 2 3 23 3 A A A kB = cos2 3 plus the unit vector equations for kA and kB . h = 3 23 . h is 3 3 3 calculated from Eq. (2). Then io = kA ko . Finally is obtained from jo jb = cos , 3 jo = ko io .

3.5 Velocity and Singularity Analysis

We use the rotating reference frame Oio jo ko for ease, and apply the method detailed in [Zoppi et al., 2006]. The input-output velocity equation is of the form: T T T Za Zc = a 02 , where, out of singularities, Za = A B C D , T Zc = x y (with the symbol on a wrench denoting switching of force and moment components), = diag{ A A , B B , C C , D D }. 1 1 1 1 The different entries of Za and can be calculated using the geometry of the mechanism. In Oio jo ko , the io and jo components of the translation velocity are always zero due to W0 and we can consider the simplied end-effector twist with

4DOF parallel architecture for laparoscopic surgery

Extrusion hA

7
= 2 /3 = 11 /12

= 1 /4

= 5 /12

= 1 /2

A (1.75) l45

A (2.125) l45

A (2.5) l45

Table 2 Conformal conditioning maps (the smaller the darker) for given extrusion and torsion no singularities are present

the only three rotational and ko translational components. The nal form of the simplied velocity equations is: (kA kA )T 3 2 kB kB T 3 2 kC kC T 2 3 T kD kD 2 3
A A A k2 k3 k4 A A A A k1 k2 k3 0 0 r45 B B B 0 kB kB kB 0 k2 k3 k4 1 2 3 B r45 = 0 0 kC kC kC 1 2 3

0 0

A 1 0 B 0 1 C 0 1 D D D D 0 k1 k2 k3 1

(3)

L L where r45 in leg L = A, B is the distance between 45 0 and O. Extensive iterations of singularity analysis were performed before getting the geometry parameters listed in Tab. 1. The singularity free workspace obtained is a A truncated cone with half angle 13 /90 and extrusion range 90mm (if l45 is taken as 120mm). The torsional range of the mechanism is 2 /3, which is sufcient for many surgical tools and procedures, though, it is targeted to extend the capacities of the mechanism by further renements. The analysis checked for RO-type singularities and was performed through C++ code based on conditioning of Z and matrices in Eq. (3). Color maps were generated to highlight the surfaces of singularity in the workspace. Results for some workspace sections (at constant h and torsion) for the torsional and extrusion range are shown in Tab. 2. White colors represent singular congurations while colors from light gray to dark gray show conditioning of the matrices. As the entries of matrix Z are non-homogeneous, the conditioning only determines the presence or absence of singularities. Since the analysis performed is at discrete locations it is not proven that no singularity exists in the workspace between the examined congurations but the lattice of congurations examined is very dense.

Mohammad Aamir Khan, Matteo Zoppi, Rezia Molno

4 Conclusion
This paper presents a parallel architecture selected to develop a slave manipulator for laparoscopic surgery setups employing two manipulators. The architecture proposed overcomes some of the drawbacks of a previous version from which it is derived. All favorable characteristics of the original mechanism are maintained. Kinematics models, velocity patterns and singularities are discussed.

References
[Asao et al., 2004] Asao, T., Kuwano, H., Mochiki, E. (2004), Laparoscopic surgery update for gastrointestinal malignancy, Journal of Gastroenterology, vol.39, pp.309-318. [Bonev et al., 2002] Bonev, I.A., Zlatanov, D., Gosselin, C.M. (2002), Advantage of the modied Euler angles in the design and control of PKMs, Proc. Int. Conf. PKS02, Chemnitz, Germany. [Cavusoglu et al., (2001)] Cavusoglu, M.C., Villanueva, I., Tendick, F., (2001), Workspace Analysis of Robotic manipulator for a teleoperated suturing task, Proc. of IEEE/RSJ IROS, USA. [Darzi et al., 2006] Darzi, A., Mackay, S. (2006), Recent Advances in minimal access surgery, BMJ, vol.324, pp.31-34. [Faraz et al., 2000] Faraz, A., Payandeh, S. (2000), Engineering Approaches to Mechanical and Robotic Design for Minimally Invasive Surgeries, Kluwer Acad. Publ. [Ferzli et al., 2006] Ferzli, G.S., Fingerhut, A. (2004), Trocar Placement for Laparoscopic Abdominal Procedures: A Simple Standardized Method, J. of American College of Surgeons, vol.198, no.1, pp.163-173. [Lum et al., 2006] Lum, M.J.H., Rosen, J., Hannaford, B., Sinanan, M.N. (2006), Optimization of a spherical mechanism for a minimally invasive surgical robot: Theoretical and exp. approaches, IEEE Trans. on Biomed. Engg. vol.53, no.7, pp.1140-1445. [Zlatanov et al., 1995] Zlatanov, D., Benhabib, B.,Fenton, R.G., (1995), A unifying framework for classication and interpretation of mechanism singularities, ASME J. of Mech. Design, vol.117, pp.566-572. [Zlatanov et al., 2002] Zlatanov, D., Bonev, I., Gosselin, C., (2002), Constraint Singularities of Parallel Mechanisms, Proc. IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Automation ICRA02, Washington, USA, pp.496-502, 2002. [Zoppi et al., 2005] Zoppi, M., Zlatanov, D., Gosselin, C.M. (2005), Analytical Kinematics Models and Special Geometries of a Class of 4-DOF Parallel Mechanisms, IEEE TRO, vol.21, n.6, pp.1046-1055. [Zoppi et al., 2006] Zoppi, M., Zlatanov, D., Molno, R. (2006), On the vel. analysis of interconnected chains mechanism, Int. J. MMT, vol.41, n.11, pp.1346-1358. [Zoppi, 2004] Zoppi, M. (2004), High dynamics parallel mechanisms: Contribution to force transmission and singularity analysis, PhD Thesis, DIMEC, Univ. of Genoa, Italy.