Potential of Piezoelectric Actuation and Sensing in High Reliability Precision Mechanisms and Their Applications in Medical Therapeutics

The present contribution aims to analyze and highlight the potential of piezoelectric materials in actuation and sensing duties, obtaining reliable high-precision outcomes in cutting-edge applications including medical interventions. This involves high-precision actuations of robotized procedures, as well as monitoring and controlling various physical phenomena via structural sensing. The characteristics of these applications offer enhanced precision machinery and robotic tools, medical robotic precise interventions, and high-accuracy structural sensing. The paper exposed, analyzed, reviewed and discussed different subjects related to piezoelectric actuators, involving their displacement and positioning strategies, piezoelectric sensors, medical applications of piezoelectric actuators and sensors, including robotic actuation for medical interventions, and structural sensing in the monitoring of wearable healthcare tools. Discussions among others on the advantages and limitations of piezoelectric sensors and actuators in general, as well as future research perspectives in medical involvements, are also presented at the end of the article. The specific features in the illustrated applications reflect crucial behaviors in robotic actuation for medical interventions, structural sensing in the monitoring of healthcare wearable tools, and the control of various structural physical occurrences.