FURI | Spring 2019

Magnetic Needle Steering for Minimally Invasive Surgery

The applications of robotics in surgery has allowed medical professionals to perform more complex, minimally invasive surgeries with increased precision and control. While most robotic systems are used simply to assist doctors, there is potential for the use of un-tethered robotic systems in minimally invasive surgical operations such as drug delivery and detection. The objective of this project is to design a needle steering system using a powerful permanent magnet attached to a robotic arm that will be tested within a phantom gel. This work could pave the way for the use of robotic needle steering in human applications.