Compliant grippers hold great promise in improving precision and safety in minimally invasive surgery (MIS), offering versatile solutions for tissue manipulation while minimizing
trauma. A novel focus on a capsule-shaped compliant gripper introduces innovative
design methodologies, including shape optimization and consideration of axillary lymph
node dimensions. By integrating compliant beams internally and optimizing their shape,
this gripper offers enhanced precision and adaptability in tissue manipulation, addressing
specific challenges in delicate surgical interventions such as lymph node dissection in
breast cancer surgery. An isogeometric approach for the analysis of geometrically nonlinear beam structures enables a seamless integration of exact geometry in computer-aided design (CAD) into the analysis framework. It incorporates frictionless beam contact conditions based on a regularized penalty law, which enables an efficient and accurate simulation of the compliant grippers. Optimization results demonstrate the efficacy of the
methodology, producing a compliant beam configuration that applies a mean pressure of
204.93 Pa, with a maximized contact area facilitating form closure gripping. Experimental
validation using a test bench confirms the consistency of the contact areas predicted by simulations, with force sensor measurements showing good agreement with simulation results in most cases. Minor discrepancies, particularly in higher-pressure regions, are attributed to sensor limitations but do not significantly impact the overall findings. Continued research and refinement of these methodologies are essential for furthering the field of compliant gripper design and its application in medical and surgical contexts.
HERMOZA LLANOS, ESTEFANIA
CHOI, MYUNG-JIN
SAUER, ROGER A.
CORVES, BURKHARD
HUESING, MATHIAS
KLINKEL, SVEN
SAXENA, ANUPAM
Año: 2025
Título de la revista: ASME Journal of Mechanisms and Robotics
Volumen: 17
Número: november
Página inicial - Página final: 111004-1
Url: https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4068895