Force Sensor Integration on Surgical Robots

Johns Hopkins IMERSE Lab

March 2022-Present

Baltimore, MD

SolidWorks CAD Modeling, Milling, Lathe, Wire EDM, Welding, 3D Printing

Integrate a force sensor onto the Da Vinci and KUKA surgical robots to provide haptic feedback for doctors during surgical operation.

As a research assistant in Prof. Axel Krieger’s lab, I am working with graduate student Michael Kam on this project. I am responsible for the mechanical design of the force sensor integration and testing fixtures.

I proposed a new adaptor component that successfully connects the force sensor between the shaft and tool tip of the surgical instrument. I was able to design these adaptors in SolidWorks, then manufacture them using milling, lathe, wire EDM, and welding processes. I then used 3D printing to design test fixture components that ensure accurate force readings from the sensor. This work will be published in a paper coming 2023.

This work has been my first endeavor into both robotics research and medical robotics, and I have truly found a passion for both. I found the challenges of individual design work, combined with the collaboration required to design the entire mechanical and software system, incredibly rewarding.