Medical applications
The main reasons to work with FBG technology instead of conventional methods in medical applications are that FBG’s and fibres are very robust, easy to clean and flexible. The fibres can survive in harsh environments such as chemical substances and high temperatures. Our sensors and systems are ideal for accurate measurements of forces and pressure for minimal / non-invasive surgery.
Shape Sensing Application Note.
Shape sensing demo
Deminsys Python
Over the last 9 months, a complete redesign of Deminsys electronics and firmware has taken place. The first stage of the process involved collecting requirements from various sources. It soon became clear that it would not be feasible to incorporate all of the elements suggested, and so a clear set of requirements was selected. It was agreed that the remaining requirements would follow at a later stage, with a particular customer or clear roadmap as guideline.
The redesign focused on developing an industrial solution suitable for the majority of high-tech applications. Limited additional requirements were added to anticipate requests from the aviation sector and other branches of industry. This resulted in the following three interrogators: Industrial, Ultra and Python.
The Python has been enhanced with a lowand constant signal latency, which is akey requirement in order to experience the sensation of haptic feedback in real time. Such enhancements make the Deminsys Python particularly useful for integration in medical or humanoid devices. Numerous possibilities can be found for applications such as teleoperators, (flight) simulators, virtual reality environments, robotics and the world of medicine. The advent of the Deminsys Python gives rise to new opportunities for all kinds of current and future technologies.
PITON project
Minimally invasive interventional techniques reduce the overall costs of the health care system and help societies to cope with the increasing difficulty of providing care of acceptable standards. The type of interventional techniques most needed, yet least provided, are those procedures with which one can access deeper structures in the human body with minimal damage to healthy tissue. Current technical limitations associated with surgical navigation using instruments of minimal dimensions mean that the traditional, open approach is still used in the majority of all interventions.
The objective of the PITON project is to develop steerable, MRI-compatible robotic instruments with precise force sensing for accurate tissue characterization and dexterous navigation in percutaneous interventions. The global challenges of the project form a good match with the competencies of the Dutch High-Tech Systems sector. The PITON consortium consists of innovative partners with the essential complementary expertise for creating viable medical robots. The miniature, steerable mechanisms developed by DEAM, real-time biocompatible sensors by TFTFOS, and MRI-compatible equipment by De Koningh, together with the systems validation expertise of HemoLab, are an ideal combination to ensure that all technical challenges can be realized as part of the PITON project. Current links with major manufacturers, such as Microline Pentax and Isodone, will enable the consortium to
swiftly implement the results after project completion. The PITON project is giving these companies, together with TU Delft, TU/e, and TNO, the opportunity to form strategic alliances, and to bring their innovations together in an economically viable industry. The main contribution of TFT-FOS will be the development and realization of a prototype ‘Deminsys-Python’ interrogator. This device will offer real-time, low-latency, multi-channel signal output for the registration of FBG sensor output. TFT-FOS will also invest in the development of optic fibers with suitable mechanical properties for the proposed applications.