A Safe Intervention Method for Robot-Assisted Ultrasonic Puncture Based on Interactive Force

In traditional manual vascular puncture procedures, doctors rely on their professional skills and years of accumulated experience to determine when to stop the needle. Furthermore, individual differences result in varying degrees of puncture force required for needle withdrawal for each patient. Therefore, when using robots for needle withdrawal, it is necessary to analyze the changes in puncture force rather than relying on specific force thresholds. Hence, this paper proposes a straightforward yet effective method for safe intervention in puncture force, aiming to enhance puncture success rates and safety. Experimental validation is conducted on a self-designed puncture robot. By analyzing typical variations in puncture force, our method primarily focuses on smoothing the force profile and extracting key features to detect abrupt force drops. Additionally, we integrate this approach with ultrasound imaging to achieve closed-loop control of the puncture robot. Simulation experiments validate the method's robustness, repeatability, and the feasibility of its application in puncture robots. Furthermore, the method complements the simple structure and cost-effectiveness of the puncture robot used, enabling handheld operation and facilitating the conservation of valuable treatment time.