Nitinol based flexible smart needle design

This project involves the design of an active needle with enhanced mobility, flexibility, and control within tissues during diagnostic and percutaneous medical procedures. The design utilizes the shape memory, super-elastic, and thermo-mechanical properties of Nitinol, a smart memory alloy (SMA) made of nickel and titanium, to construct a steerable needle during insertion. The design of the needle includes a Nitinol needle body, Nitinol wires attached to the body as actuators, and a nylon flexure joint to provide electrical insulation. With the current design, the prototype was able to achieve unidirectional control of the needle's deflection during insertion into a tissue-mimicking gel. However, further studies must be performed to improve needle's maneuverability as well as verify the feasibility of the SMA properties. The goal of this design is to achieve real-time control of the needle as well as to build a more minimally invasive tool for percutaneous procedures. With an active steerable cannula, minimal damage to tissue and risk to patients can be lowered significantly.