A Tremor Suppression Method for the Master–Follower Surgical Robot Manipulator Based on Kalman Filter Algorithm

BACKGROUND: Master follower surgical robotic systems are widely used in invasive procedures but remain vulnerable to end effector tremor transmitted from the operator's physiological tremor, reducing precision. METHODS: Physiological tremor was characterised with a three-dimensional optical motion capture system and integrated into master follower control strategy enhanced with Kalman filter based tremor suppression algorithm. The method was validated on a custom platform using 24 predefined motion trajectories executed via a force feedback haptic master and robotic slave manipulator. RESULTS: Physiological tremor exhibited amplitudes that did not exceed 1 mm and dominant frequencies within 5-15 Hz. Across all 24 motion sets, suppression significantly reduced in majority of cases standard deviations of end-effector velocity and acceleration and removed high-frequency components while preserving smooth motion. CONCLUSIONS: The Kalman filter based master follower tremor suppression strategy provides accurate and effective attenuation of physiological tremors, enhancing the precision, stability and operational safety of surgical robotic manipulation.