Force and Kinematic Characterization of Instruments for Robotic Laparoscopic Surgery

Institut

Forschungsgruppe für minimal-invasive interdisziplinäre therapeutische Intervention (TUM-MH, MITI)

Typ

Semesterarbeit / Masterarbeit /

Inhalt

experimentell / konstruktiv /  

Beschreibung

Robotic laparoscopic surgery needs robots to trust their tools. We're building a (semi-)autonomous robotic surgery platform. Before it can safely handle soft tissue, we must first know how each tool actually behaves — how it delivers force at the tip and how the tip precisely moves.
The challenge: instruments like the Karl Storz Clickline and da Vinci EndoWrist transmit force and motion through complex, tool-specific mechanisms that remain inadequately characterized.

We're looking for a student to design and build a modular device that measures this behavior, giving us a reliable way to characterize and calibrate different surgical instruments.

What you'll do:

• Survey the state of the art and frame the problem
• Shape the requirements together with our engineers and clinicians
• Design, prototype, and build a modular measurement device for single- to multi-DOF instruments
• Characterize both the forces and the actuation-to-motion behavior, and distill it into a per-instrument mapping
• Bring it to life with embedded electronics, firmware, and a ROS2 interface that connects to our robot stack

In short, we're picturing a modular rig that works across different instruments and grasper types and captures both force and motion, statically and/or dynamically. It should be repeatable, reliable, and cost-effective — a working proof-of-concept device. Beyond that, the approach is open: how we mount, sense, and record is up to us, as long as the measurements are accurate.

What you'll get out of it:

• Full ownership of a real hardware–software project, from concept to working prototype
• A clinical R&D environment, working on a system that feeds an actual robotic platform
• Access to our workshop, FDM/SLA printers, waterjet, and robotics lab
• Lots of hands-on prototyping

Voraussetzungen

Essentials:

• A background in Mechatronics, Robotics, Mechanical, or Medical Engineering — or equivalent, demonstrated project experience
• Confident with CAD and mechanical design
• Comfortable with electronics and (embedded) programming
• A structured, independent way of working

Nice to have:

• ROS2 or a similar robotics middleware
• Electronic circuit & PCB design
• Integrating force, load-cell, or force/torque sensors
• Motion or position measurement (encoders, optical, or vision-based tracking)
• Design for manufacturing and tolerancing (CNC)
• Data analysis (Python or MATLAB)

Note: While academic records are important, I'm especially interested in what you've developed or built — projects, theses, or student-team work.
To apply, please send your CV and at least one of the following: an engineering portfolio, a motivation letter, a GitHub repo, or a similar reference.

Möglicher Beginn

sofort

Kontakt

Luca Fäth
Tel.: 08941409361
luca.faethtum.de

Ausschreibung