Modular MRI-Compatible Robot Controller
From WPI Automation and Interventional Medicine (AIM) Robotics Laboratory
The unavailability of robot control interfaces that are compatible with the MRI environment has severely limited the ability to do research in the field. The high cost of entry into MRI robotics has been primarily due to the need for each researcher to develop and evaluate their control system in the scanner. We have developed an MRI compatible robot controller that sits in the scanner room without interfering with scanner imaging. The controller is modular and allows many different inputs and output and communicates to a high level planning and navigation software workstation through fiber optic connections.
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MRI Compatible Powered Electronics Case
- Purpose: The purpose of this project is to create a platform for the housing and powering of MRI compatible devices and controllers. The unit has so far been designed to house electronic, pneumatic, and hydraulic devices, while supplying varying levels of AC and DC power.
- Current State: Currently the outer housing of the unit is nearing completion. The unit is designed to have a modular equipment rack inside, that can be removed to allow easier access as well as a hinged top. Models of this unit can be seen to the right.
- Future Work: The next step in the progression of this project is developing an integrated power supply to efficiently deliver varying levels of power without causing interference with the scanner. Many commercially available switching power supplies cause excessive noise when used in the scanner room, and it is my goal to provide a programmable power supply capable of operating highly efficiently.
Programmable Piezo-electric Motor Driver
- Purpose:To create an MR compatible modular device capable of being controlled by a variety of control styles, while having the ability to drive a variety of piezo electric motors with highly specific arbitrary waveforms.
- Current State: Currently a fully functional prototype has been assembled and is being tested. Several component footprint errors have been found in this version of the board, though simple fixes have maintained the boards functionality. The circuit has been tested in an MR scanner and has been shown to contribute minimally to signal to noise ration ( <2% in all tested imaging modalities, not statistically detectable in most)
- Future Work: In the future we hope to produce another revision of the board addressing the PCB errors as well as some design issues. Additionally, work is being done on designing a daughter card that will replace the linear regulators the board with a higher efficiency voltage converter.
People Involved
Related Publications
- Wang Y, Cole GA, Su H, Pilitis JG, Fischer GS, MRI Compatibility Evaluation of a Piezoelectric Actuator System for a Neural Interventional Robot, 31st Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society - EMBC 2009, Minneapolis, Minnesota, September 2009 (accepted) EMBS.
- Tokuda J, Fischer GS, DiMaio SP, Gobbi DG, Csoma C, Mewes PW, Fichtinger G, Tempany CM, Hata N, Integrated Navigation and Control Software System for MRI-guided Robotic Prostate Interventions, Computerized Medical Imaging and Graphics, August 2009. ScienceDirect, PubMed
- Tokuda J, Fischer GS, Papademetris X, Yaniv Z, Ibanez L, Cheng P, Liu H, Blevins J, Arata J, Golby A, Kapur T, Pieper S, Burdette E, Fichtinger G, Tempany C, Hata N, OpenIGTLink: An Open Network Protocol for Image-Guided Therapy Environment, The International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery, July 2009. Wiley, PubMed
- Wang Y, Shazeeb MS, Sotak CH, Fischer GS, Optimization of Piezoelectric Motors to Enhance MR Compatiblity for Interventional Devices, 17th Scientific Meeting and Exhibition of the International Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine - ISMRM 2009, April 2009.
