Department of Mechanical Engineering, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America.
Bioinspir Biomim. 2023 Sep 28;18(6). doi: 10.1088/1748-3190/acfb65.
Active needles demonstrate improved accuracy and tip deflection compared to their passive needle counterparts, a crucial advantage in percutaneous procedures. However, the ability of these needles to effectively navigate through tissues is governed by needle-tissue interaction, which depends on the tip shape, the cannula surface geometry, and the needle insertion method. In this research, we evaluated the effect of cannula surface modifications and the application of a vibrational insertion technique on the performance of shape memory alloy (SMA)-actuated active needles. These features were inspired by the mosquito proboscis' unique design and skin-piercing technique that decreased the needle tissue interaction force, thus enhancing tip deflection and steering accuracy. The bioinspired features, i.e., mosquito-inspired cannula design and vibrational insertion method, in an active needle reduced the insertion force by 26.24% and increased the tip deflection by 37.11% in prostate-mimicking gel. In addition, trajectory tracking error was reduced by 48%, and control effort was reduced by 23.25%, pointing towards improved needle placement accuracy. The research highlights the promising potential of bioinspired SMA-actuated active needles. Better tracking control and increased tip deflection are anticipated, potentially leading to improved patient outcomes and minimized risk of complications during percutaneous procedures.
主动针相对于被动针具有更高的准确性和针尖偏转能力，这在经皮手术中是一个关键优势。然而，这些针有效地在组织中导航的能力受到针-组织相互作用的限制，这取决于针尖形状、套管表面几何形状和针插入方法。在这项研究中，我们评估了套管表面修改和应用振动插入技术对形状记忆合金（SMA）驱动主动针性能的影响。这些特征的灵感来自于蚊子喙的独特设计和刺穿皮肤的技术，该技术降低了针与组织的相互作用力，从而提高了针尖的偏转和转向精度。仿生特征，即蚊子启发的套管设计和振动插入方法，在前列腺模拟凝胶中，主动针的插入力降低了 26.24%，针尖偏转增加了 37.11%。此外，轨迹跟踪误差降低了 48%，控制努力降低了 23.25%，表明针的放置精度得到了提高。这项研究强调了受生物启发的 SMA 驱动主动针的有前途的潜力。更好的跟踪控制和增加的针尖偏转有望提高患者的治疗效果，并在经皮手术中最小化并发症的风险。
