Design and validation of an MRI conditional surgical robot for neurosurgery with remote center-of-motion

Brain tumors are among the most challenging diseases in neurosurgery. Robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery can enhance surgical accuracy. However, the trade-off between higher accuracy and a larger workspace, along with limited magnetic resonance imaging compatibility, restricts its further clinical use. This paper presents the design of a novel magnetic resonance imaging compatible hybrid structure surgical robot for neurosurgery, based on a remote center of motion mechanism. The design uses the center of rotation of the Hooke joint as the remote-center of motion point. A cable-driven system is used to arrange the motors outside the robot body, which enhances the magnetic resonance imaging compatibility. The inverse kinematics and Jacobian matrix of the mechanism were analyzed to facilitate the control. The performance of the mechanism was verified through positioning experiments, showing an average positioning accuracy is 0.344 ± 0.146 mm. The signal-to-noise ratio when robot was in motion reached 1.83%, meeting clinical requirement. The robot presented in this research demonstrated improved positioning accuracy, a larger workspace and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging compatibility compared to state-of-the-art research. These results indicated the potential of the robot for future clinical applications.