Session: MR-07-01

Paper Number: 143745

143745 - Human-Robot Interactions - Estimating Force Feedback of the Human Wrist 

This research is part of the MSK-TIM (Musculoskeletal Tele-robotic Imaging Machine) project. The MSK-TIM is a device which facilitates remote ultrasound diagnosis through remote control of an ultrasound probe. The work reported here is to facilitate human-robot interaction in remote ultrasound imaging; the research work tried to incorporate force feedback into MSK-TIM device such that the operator (radiologist specialist) can examine the patient more efficiently, remotely.

Understanding and modeling the biomechanics of the wrist is important in several fields including medicine and robotics. Up to now, most models have been developed to accurately represent the internal structure of the wrist. However, these models are complex and computationally time-consuming. This study reports on investigation on how we developed a time-efficient finite element model of the wrist. The material parameters were derived using model-correction finite element analysis. The force-displacement experimental measurements were taken at three areas of the human wrist using a robotic tele-sonography manipulator. The finite element model was then incrementally modified to improve the computational time, while measuring the corresponding error. The finite element model successfully predicted force feedback from the human arm with a small computation time (18.4s) per step. The subsequent finite element models further reduced this time (0.95s). As a result of this study, it has been shown that soft tissues can be generalized as a phenomenological material to decrease model complexity. Finally, the geometry of anatomy can be simplified, without a major reduction in accuracy, to greatly reduce the computation time – as shown by the 95% reduction in this study.

Presenting Author: Reza Fotouhi Univ Of Saskatchewan

Presenting Author Biography: Prof. Reza Fotouhi (PhD, P.Eng, FEC) is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada. His research interests include Robotics (dynamics & control), Structural Dynamics and Vibrations, Computational Mechanics, and Biomechanics. He has established and is director of Robotics Lab at the University of Saskatchewan since 2002.
His research program is focused on robotics and control with particular emphasis on control of industrial manipulators and mobile robots. He is well known in robotics research communities in Canada, and USA. He is an associate editor for ASME Journal of Mechanism and Robotics, and an Associate Editor, International Journal of Robotics and Automation, ACTA press.

Authors:

Zachary Ochitwa University of Saskatchewan
Reza Fotouhi Univ Of Saskatchewan
Haron Obaid University of Saskatchewan