National Chiao Tung University Department of Mechanical Engineering

Nano Engineer Lab

National Sun Yat-sen University Department of  Mechanical and Electro-Mechanical Engineering

Dynamic Class TA  •  

National Chiao Tung University Department of Mechanical Engineering

Feb. 2018 - Jun. 2018

Novel Electromagnetic Targeting System for Navigating Surgery in Endobronchoscopy

2018 IEEE International Magnetics Conference (INTERMAG), Singapore

Nowadays, lung cancer is one of the common cancers around the world. To increase the survival rate of the patient, early diagnosis is necessary. To achieve this, bronchoscopists usually use Endobronchial Ultrasound for navigating surgery in Endobronchoscopy. However, because the bronchoscopist has to continuously re-navigate/re-target the bronchoscope to collect specimens from the same tumor, the whole navigating/targeting process has to be repeated many times in one surgery. Due to this, navigating/targeting the bronchoscope to correct tumor is still a time-consuming process. Therefore, a more accurately tumor-targeting approach is needed to significantly save time in navigating surgery. To address this issue, recently researchers combined electromagnetic (magnetic-sensor-based)targeting technology with conventional endobronchial ultrasound as a hybrid targeting approach to achieve a more accurate real-time tumor-targeting in Endobronchoscopy . However, when comparing conventional bronchoscope, the bronchoscope with magnetic sensor is more expensive and less compatible. Thus, a cheaper and compatible electromagnetic targeting technology is required. Recently, some researchers demonstrated electromagnetic induction/ magnetic-interaction approaches to target distal screw-hole in intramedullary interlocking-nail surgery We think that these targeting approaches can be modified to develop as a new, cheaper, and compatible electromagnetic targeting technology for general Endobronchoscopy. Hence, in this paper, we demonstrate the electromagnetic targeting system for Endobronchoscopy.

A Novel Targeting System Using Magnetic-Rotating  Method for Navigating Endobronchial Ultrasound

2018, ASME ISPS, San Francisco, California, USA 

In this paper, we proposed a novel electromagnetic targeting system using the rotating magnetic flux concentration method for navigating Endobronchoscopy. This system consists of a magnetic flux emitting coil, a magnetic flux receiving electromagnets array, a 2D model of the bronchial tree, the magnetic flux concentrator embedded on a brush guiding tube which was connected to the guide sheath. When the concentrator in the 2D bronchial tree passes through the air gap between the emitting coil and the receiving electromagnets array, the concentrator concentrates the magnetic flux between the coil and the array The concentrated magnetic flux is subsequently received by the receiving electromagnets array and thus stable voltage output is produced. Furthermore, when the concentrator is rotated, the concentration of the magnetic flux is periodically changed and thereby the voltage output is periodically changed. By analyzing the voltage changes, the location of the concentrator (as well as guide tube and sheath) is targeted. According to the experimental results, the system successfully targets the location of the guide sheath in the 2D model of the bronchial tree.

Passive Magnetic-Flux-Concentrator Based Electromagnetic Targeting System for Endobronchoscopy

Sensors 2019, 19, 5105

In this paper, we demonstrate an innovative electromagnetic targeting system utilizing a passive magnetic-flux-concentrator for tracking Endobronchoscopy used in the diagnosis process of lung cancer tumors/lesions. The system consists of a magnetic-flux emitting coil, a magnetic-flux receiving electromagnets-array, and high permeability silicon-steel sheets rolled as a collar (as the passive magnetic-flux-concentrator) fixed in a guide sheath of an Endobronchoscopy. The emitting coil is used to produce AC magnetic-flux, which is consequently received by the receiving electromagnets-array. Due to the electromagnetic-induction, a voltage is induced in the receiving electromagnets-array. When the Endo bronchoscopy's guide sheath (with the silicon-steel collar) travels between the emitting coil and the receiving electromagnets-arrays, the magnetic flux is concentrated by the silicon-steel collar and thereby the induced voltage is changed. Through analyzing the voltage–pattern change, the location of the silicon–steel collar with the guide sheath is targeted. For testing, a bronchial-tree model for training medical doctors and operators is used to test our system. According to experimental results, the system is successfully verified to be able to target the Endobronchoscopy in the bronchial-tree model. The targeting errors on the x-, y- and z-axes are 9 mm, 10 mm, and 5 mm, respectively.