Developing a Robotic Surgery Training System for Wide Accessibility and Research

TL;DR

This work presents RoboScope, a cost-effective robotic-laparoscopy training system designed to broaden access for education and research. It combines a new low-cost end-effector with a RoboDK-based digital twin for simulation and remote validation, paired with optimized teleoperation that preserves the remote center of motion (RCM) at a latency of $0.01$ seconds and achieves submillimeter precision. Key contributions include a three-iteration end-effector design with improved mounting and TCP calibration, a digital-twin platform for safe remote testing, and robust teleoperation via keyboard and haptic devices with dead-zone filtering. The results demonstrate high-precision trajectory tracking ($ ext{RMSE} o$ around $0.1$ mm) and micrometer-scale RCM accuracy, indicating strong potential for affordable training and research deployment with future enhancements in visual and haptic feedback and broader usability testing.

Abstract

Robotic surgery represents a major breakthrough in medical interventions, which has revolutionized surgical procedures. However, the high cost and limited accessibility of robotic surgery systems pose significant challenges for training purposes. This study addresses these issues by developing a cost-effective robotic laparoscopy training system that closely replicates advanced robotic surgery setups to ensure broad access for both on-site and remote users. Key innovations include the design of a low-cost robotic end-effector that effectively mimics high-end laparoscopic instruments. Additionally, a digital twin platform was established, facilitating detailed simulation, testing, and real-time monitoring, which enhances both system development and deployment. Furthermore, teleoperation control was optimized, leading to improved trajectory tracking while maintaining remote center of motion (RCM) constraint, with a RMSE of 5 μm and reduced system latency to 0.01 seconds. As a result, the system provides smooth, continuous motion and incorporates essential safety features, making it a highly effective tool for laparoscopic training.

Figures (10)

• Figure 1: Overview of the preliminary setup for the robotic surgery trainer, illustrating the key components and configuration trute2022development.
• Figure 2: (A) The actuated DOF of the laparoscopic tool. (B) The modifications made to the forceps for controlling the forceps head axial rotation and grasping motion using two Dynamixel servos trute2022development.
• Figure 3: System architecture of the developed master-slave robotic surgery training setup (RoboScope).
• Figure 4: Development stages of the end-effector: (A) Initial design; (B) Second iteration, which suffers from bending at the free end of the forceps head; (C) Final optimized version.
• Figure 5: Digital twin simulation environment developed using RoboDK.