The prototyping and implementation of robotic system is a scientific and technological integrating of robotic system design, development, testing, and application. This chapter describes the recent development and applications of robotic systems to surgery procedures in biomedical engineering and automated manufacturing processes in industry. It includes the design and development, computer-aided modeling and simulation, prototype analysis, and testing of robotic systems in these two different applications.
Top2. Background
Robotic surgery has many advantages including minimally invasive surgical process, narrow incisions, decreased infection, reduced pains, and less hospital stays (Cadierre, 2001, p.1467 & Eirik, 2009, p.77 & Taylor, 2003). The development of surgical robots can improve the situation limited by current laparoscopic surgery and technologies (Backes, 2008, p.97 & Camarillo, 2004, p.188 & Hu, 2002 & Kazanzides, 2008). Also the robotic surgical system can be set up whereby the patients could be loaded into a vehicle by robotic surgical equipment and surgery can be performed by a surgeon remotely at a nearby mobile advanced surgical hospital (Brown, 2007, p.253 & Estey, 2009, p.488 & Ghomi, 2010, p.87 & Mataric, 2007, p.1). The robotic arms can be manipulated through surgeon's voice instructions to control the endoscopic cameras (Bargar, 2007, p.31 & Carigan, 2007, p.179 & Gerhardus, 2003, p.242 & Tapus, 2008, p.169). Figure 1 shows one robotic surgical application in gallbladder surgery. The gallbladder removal by robotic surgery is minimally invasive by way of robot technology permitting optimal viewing of the surgical field through small incisions with less pain and faster recovery time for patients (Gockley, 2006, p.150 & Hanna, 2011, p.761 & Harja, 2007, p.365 & Rosen, 2011). It closely mimics the surgery that is used in traditional 'open' procedures, but allows surgeon to perform the operation by da Vinci™ Surgical Systems through small incisions that are associated with minimally invasive and laparoscopic surgeries (Gortchev, 2010, p.153 & Kaouk, 2009, p.181 & Koh, 2011, p.1945 & Puntambekar, 2009, p.259).
Figure 1. Robotic surgery for gallbladder removal (Gockley, 2006)
Figure 2 shows the da Vinci robotics surgical system for gynecology, urogynecology, urology and cardiology procedures. It has flexible, safe, précised features that allows surgeon to operate the surgery with reduced trauma to the patients and a faster recovery time (Kwartowitz, 2006, p.157 & Li, 2002, p.90 & Melvin, 2003, p.33 & Passerotti, 2006, p.193 & Peters, 2007, p.179).
Figure 2. da Vinci robotics surgical system (Passerotti, 2006)