Teleoperation of Continuum Instruments: Task-Priority Analysis of Linear Angular Command Interplay

TL;DR

This paper introduces a task-priority-based kinematic framework for teleoperating continuum surgical instruments, improving command control under RCM constraints through experimental validation and performance analysis.

Contribution

It presents a novel task-priority scheme for continuum instrument teleoperation, integrating redundancy resolution and experimental validation for improved control.

Findings

Effective control of continuum instruments demonstrated through experiments

Task-priority scheme improves command accuracy and flexibility

Framework enhances teleoperation performance under RCM constraints

Abstract

This paper addresses the challenge of teleoperating continuum instruments for minimally invasive surgery (MIS). We develop and adopt a novel task-priority-based kinematic formulation to quantitatively investigate teleoperation commands for continuum instruments under remote center of motion (RCM) constraints. Using redundancy resolution methods, we investigate the kinematic performance during teleoperation, comparing linear and angular commands within a task-priority scheme. For experimental validation, an instrument module (IM) was designed and integrated with a 7-DoF manipulator. Assessments, simulations, and experimental validations demonstrated the effectiveness of the proposed framework. The experiments involved several tasks: trajectory tracking of the IM tip along multiple paths with varying priorities for linear and angular teleoperation commands, pushing a ball along predefined paths on a silicon board, following a pattern on a pegboard, and guiding the continuum tip through rings on a ring board using a standard surgical kit.