A Multi-armed Unfurling Actuator for Airway Lumen Measurement

Alekya, B and Aswin, S and Akhil, M and Siddesh, SS and Rao, S and Pandya, HJ (2023) A Multi-armed Unfurling Actuator for Airway Lumen Measurement. In: Proceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS, 2023 .

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Abstract

Objective measurement of the lumen area demands an intraoperative diagnostic tool to aid on-site decision-making. We present a compliant mechanism-based unfurling actuator assembly integrated with a shaft connected to a motorized encoder to translate torque from the user at the proximal end to the actuator at the distal end. The actuator assembly has flexible arms coiled inside a cylindrical casing that moves radially outward upon actuation. Leveraging 3D printing of flexible materials, the unfurling actuator's four-arm design enables patency measurements in circumferential tracheal stenosis of varying grades. The rotary encoder output is correlated with the radially outward movement of the unfurling arms to estimate the lumen diameter. The measurement stability is analyzed using process control charts; data distribution over ten iterations reveals nearly 100 of process data falls between ±3 sigma (Upper and Lower control limits). Comparing measurements from the tool with direct measurement (vernier caliper) and ImageJ analysis, one-way ANOVA for circular morphology yields no significant differences in diameter p = 0.974 and area measurements p = 0.975.Clinical Relevance-Central airway narrowing reduces the effective lumen area in the tracheal and bronchial segments. Grading the degree of narrowing is often based on a suspicion index. A quick but thorough assessment of the airway caliber is essential in emergent or planned intubation, whether congenital, iatrogenic, or idiopathic tracheal stenosis. © 2023 IEEE.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Proceedings of the Annual International Conference of the IEEE Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society, EMBS
Publisher:	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Additional Information:	The copyright for this article belongs to PubMed ID.
Keywords:	3D printing; Actuators; Compliant mechanisms; Grading; Process control; Signal encoding, 3-D printing; Cylindrical casings; Decisions makings; Diagnostics tools; Flexible arm; Intra-operative; Measurements of; Mechanism-based; Objective measurement; Tracheal stenosis, Decision making
Department/Centre:	Division of Electrical Sciences > Electronic Systems Engineering (Formerly Centre for Electronic Design & Technology)
Date Deposited:	04 Mar 2024 10:01
Last Modified:	04 Mar 2024 10:01
URI:	https://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/84070

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