Kuka Robotics Introduces Two Advanced Medical Innovations

Kuka Robotics recently announced two advanced medical innovations designed to reduce work-related injury for healthcare workers and cut time-to-market for medical device OEMs.

Sonographers and ultrasound technicians commonly experience musculoskeletal disorders such as tendonitis and rotator cuff injury due to the repetitive nature of their work that requires them to apply pressure with abnormal arm and shoulder positioning. Using robot technology such as Kuka’s LBR iisy cobot, however, can take the strain off technicians by precisely conducting these repetitive exams autonomously. Equipped with a Haply Inverse3 Hapatic Feedback Teleop Device and an OptoForce FT Sensor, the LBR iisy robotic arm can be controlled and manipulated to apply the proper amount of force to the imaging head for a proper reading.

The FT sensor accurately measures the forces applied by the six-axis LBR iisy cobot to the ultrasound probe and relays a scaled down force reading to the haptic feedback device. As a result, the ultrasound tech receives a sense of touch input while avoiding unnatural pressure and strain on their arm, hands and shoulders.

Kuka’s Robot Development Kit, a collaborative effort between Kuka, Northern Digital, Inc. (NDI) and custom medical device cart manufacturer MPE. The development kit allows OEMs to streamline development of unique medical device solutions, one being a robot-assisted brain tumor biopsy demo cell using a Kuka LBR MED cobot. Equipped with NDI optical cameras and trackers, the Kuka LBR MED assists in the deployment of the biopsy needle while making any necessary adjustments via dynamic tracking for safe, precise operation.

Based on the sensitive Kuka LBR iiwa robot, the LBR MED is HRC-compliant with redundant integrated torque sensors, giving it robust haptic capabilities, the ability to perceive external influences and safe collision detection. The seven-axis lightweight robot is flexible and easily integrated into a variety of medical solutions and activities.