Stewart Platform for Surgical Training Kits and Passive Physiotherapy
This project implements a research paper illustrating the use of a Stewart platform to simulate subtle body movements that occur during medical surgery. This project intends to deploy it as a training instrument for doctors practising robotic surgery and evaluate its fitness as a passive ankle physiotherapy device. The Stewart platform occupies a space of 6500 cm3 in totality and is powered by 6 Dynamixel XL320 servo motors, a CM9.04C microcontroller and is managed through a computer/laptop. The report draws the inverse kinematics model discussed in [1] and illustrates in detail the process of actualizing the mathematics into instructions for the Servo motors through the microcontroller. The report documents the fabrication practises and integration approach to assemble the platform and replicate internal involuntary body movements associated with breathing, heart movement, and peristalsis. The performance of the platform is evaluated by comparing it to the results of Patel et al. [2]. Finally, the report hints at the scope to generate feedback for the external force exerted on the platform, opening a probable application in passive physiotherapy. Future research is directed towards the freedom to intuitively teach the platform a motion to replicate and thus give clinicians the ability to customize the motion.
Motion in XY:
Motion in XZ:
Motion in YZ:
Motion in Z:
Heart Beat Motion:
Report for this project can be downloaded here.
Instructor: Loris Fichera