Papers by Arianna Menciassi
IEEE SENSORS 2014 Proceedings, 2014
This work aims at demonstrating the possibility of using advanced nanocomposite materials with tu... more This work aims at demonstrating the possibility of using advanced nanocomposite materials with tuned features in order to develop innovative pressure and deformation sensors suitable for a series of applications, including sensorization in narrow environments, implanted deformable devices, artificial skin and flexible multifunctional surgical instruments. By combining metal sputtering and spin-assisted deposition, we developed thin and flexible polymeric membranes made of polydimethylsiloxane doped with barium titanate nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes and boron nitride nanotubes. By exploiting their piezoelectric properties, the nanocomposites were able to transduce applied pressures and strains into electrical signals. Different combinations of nanoparticles, embedded in the polymeric matrix, were tested. We also highlighted the possibility to tune matrix stiffness, thus adding a "degree of freedom" in the development of nanocomposite sensing elements.
Biomedical Engineering / Biomedizinische Technik, 2000
Advances in robotics surgery are focused on facilitating complex surgical procedures and overcomi... more Advances in robotics surgery are focused on facilitating complex surgical procedures and overcoming existing natural limitations associated with Minimal Invasive Surgery (MIS). Distal dexterity in the robotic manipulator is of primary importance for tool manipulation and the performance of complex surgical tasks as suturing. The present work deals with the development of a cable actuated 2 degrees of freedom (DoF) joint mechanism to be integrated as a wrist in a surgical robotic continuum-like robot.
Progresses in visualization system technologies have made three-dimensional (3D) view of the surg... more Progresses in visualization system technologies have made three-dimensional (3D) view of the surgical field appealing, as demonstrated by daVinci's vision system, TRICAM 3D Imaging System (Storz) and other 3D vision systems. 3D visualization systems based on autostereoscopic displays are able to provide 3D perception without the need for any special glasses, filters or other wearable devices. The proposed device consists of an external handle and an internal unit , which is introduced in the patient's body through the umbilical port. Autostereoscopic multi-views 3D displays advantages:
OBJECTIVE
To investigate an accelerometer-based wearable system, named Human Movement (HuMOVE) ... more OBJECTIVE
To investigate an accelerometer-based wearable system, named Human Movement (HuMOVE) platform, designed to enable quantitative and continuous measurement of sexual performance with minimal invasiveness and inconvenience for users.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Design, implementation, and development of HuMOVE, a wearable platform equipped with an accelerometer sensor for monitoring inertial parameters for sexual performance assessment and diagnosis, were performed. The system enables quantitative measurement of movement parameters during sexual intercourse, meeting the requirements of wearability, data storage, sampling rate, and interfacing methods, which are fundamental for human sexual intercourse performance analysis. HuMOVE was validated through characterization using a controlled experimental test bench and evaluated in a human model during simulated sexual intercourse conditions.
RESULTS
HuMOVE demonstrated to be a robust and quantitative monitoring platform and a reliable candidate for sexual performance evaluation and diagnosis. Characterization analysis on the controlled experimental test bench demonstrated an accurate correlation between the HuMOVE system and data from a reference displacement sensor. Experimental tests in the human model during simulated intercourse conditions confirmed the accuracy of the sexual performance evaluation platform and the effectiveness of the selected and derived parameters. The obtained outcomes also established the project expectations in terms of usability and comfort, evidenced by the questionnaires that highlighted the low invasiveness and acceptance of the device.
CONCLUSION
To the best of our knowledge, HuMOVE platform is the first device for human sexual performance analysis compatible with sexual intercourse; the system has the potential to be a helpful tool for physicians to accurately classify sexual disorders, such as premature or delayed ejaculation.
Applied Mathematics and Computation, 2013
ABSTRACT An exact solution to the inverse Womersley problem was derived for the fully-developed, ... more ABSTRACT An exact solution to the inverse Womersley problem was derived for the fully-developed, laminar pulsatile flow of a viscous Newtonian fluid, within a circular cylindrical vessel with rigid walls. In particular, given an arbitrary, time-periodic flow rate, the axisymmetric velocity profile was obtained by means of two neat and computable maps relating the corresponding Fourier coefficients. The study of such an inverse problem is motivated by the fact that flow rate is the main physical quantity which can be actually measured in many practical situations. The hypothesis of a fully-developed flow was deliberately introduced, in order to obtain an analytical solution (otherwise hardly achievable). Despite the intrinsic simplifications associated with the adopted position (which restrict the applicability of our results to 3D finite-length complex domains, and non-Newtonian fluids), the obtained solution provides a benchmark – and at the same time an approximation – for the inverse problem of pulsatile flows, it may serve as a debugging tool for more ambitious numerical approaches based on realistic data, and can also be used as an improved source of boundary data. As expected, the main advantage of our analytical solutions (compared to fully numerical approaches) resides in computational efficiency; this was quantitatively assessed through numerical tests. Moreover, the proposed solution was applied in the context of magnetic particle targeting, to highlight some peculiar effects on particle trajectories and capture efficiency due to pulsatility. Such a transport problem is increasingly drawing the attention of an interdisciplinary community, ranging from physicians to biomedical engineers, physicists and roboticists, thanks to its potential for targeted therapy, up to remote guidance of intravascular devices. More in general, the obtained benchmark solution holds potential for effectively exploitation in an interdisciplinary context.
Biomedical Microdevices, 2012
Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide; they are mainly due to vascular... more Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death worldwide; they are mainly due to vascular obstructions which, in turn, are mainly caused by thrombi and atherosclerotic plaques. Although a variety of removal strategies has been developed for the considered obstructions, none of them is free from limitations and conclusive. The present paper analyzes the physical mechanisms underlying state-of-art removal strategies and classifies them into chemical, mechanical, laser and hybrid (namely chemo-mechanical and mechano-chemical) approaches, while also reviewing corresponding commercial/research tools/devices and procedures. Furthermore, challenges and opportunities for interventional micro/nanodevices are highlighted. In this spirit, the present review should support engineers, researchers active in the micro/nanotechnology field, as well as medical doctors in the development of innovative biomedical solutions for treating vascular obstructions. Data were collected by using the ISI Web of Knowledge portal, buyer's guides and FDA databases; devices not reported on scientific publications, as well as commercial devices no more for sale were discarded. Nearly 70% of the references were published since 2006, 55% since 2008; these percentages respectively raise to 85% and 65% as regards the section specifically reviewing state-of-art removal tools/devices and procedures.
Computer Aided Surgery, 2012
The evolution of surgical robotics is following the progress of developments in Minimally Invasiv... more The evolution of surgical robotics is following the progress of developments in Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS), which is moving towards Single-Incision Laparoscopic Surgery (SILS) procedures. The complexity of these techniques has favored the introduction of robotic surgical systems. New bimanual robots, which are completely inserted into the patient's body, have been proposed in order to enhance the surgical gesture in SILS procedures. However, the limited laparoscopic view and the focus on the end-effectors, together with the use of complex robotic devices inside the patient's abdomen, may lead to unexpected collisions, e.g., between the surrounding anatomical organs not involved in the intervention and the surgical robot. This paper describes a computer guidance system, based on patient-specific data, designed to provide intraoperative navigation and assistance in SILS robotic interventions. The navigator has been tested in simulations of some of the surgical tasks involved in a cholecystectomy, using a synthetic anthropomorphic mannequin. The results demonstrate the usability and efficacy of the navigation system, underlining the importance of avoiding unwanted collisions between the robot arms and critical organs. The proposed computer guidance software is able to integrate any bimanual surgical robot design.
The International Journal of Medical Robotics and Computer Assisted Surgery, 2014
Background Magnetic endovascular navigation of wireless or soft-tethered endoluminal devices was ... more Background Magnetic endovascular navigation of wireless or soft-tethered endoluminal devices was recently proposed in the literature. This approach allows for innovative therapeutic procedures, but developing a real-time tracking strategy, compatible with magnetic dragging, is a challenging problem and is not yet solved.
Integration between surgery and robotics leads to new paradigms in clinical field. Innovative rob... more Integration between surgery and robotics leads to new paradigms in clinical field. Innovative robotic solutions represent the enabling technology for highly targeted therapeutic actions, such as operating in the cardiovascular system. In this framework, the authors present a robotic platform for the treatment of vascular obstructions. It integrates a system for locomotion and navigation based on magnetic dragging and ultrasound tracking and a therapeutic module which involves mechanical attack to the obstruction by means of high intensity focused ultrasound. The system overview and the technical and theoretical instruments for developing the overall platform were illustrated; preliminary results, together with future planned works, are reported in order to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach.
High Intensity Focused Ultrasounds (HIFU) demonstrated the ability to destroy blood clots without... more High Intensity Focused Ultrasounds (HIFU) demonstrated the ability to destroy blood clots without addiction of thrombolytic drugs. However, the involved physical principles are yet unclear, thus slowing a translation to clinical application. It is agreed that thermal effects must be avoided; however it is hard to directly measure the temperature because of the dynamics of the procedures.
2012 4th IEEE RAS & EMBS International Conference on Biomedical Robotics and Biomechatronics (BioRob), 2012
The quest for miniaturization of interventional devices and the integration between external surg... more The quest for miniaturization of interventional devices and the integration between external surgical platforms and internal therapeutic tools are continuously fostering research in the biomedical field. Operating in the cardiovascular system poses dramatic challenges, but it also represent the elective application for highly targeted therapeutic devices.
Journal of Therapeutic Ultrasound, 2014
This paper presents the concept design of a modular soft manipulator for minimally invasive surge... more This paper presents the concept design of a modular soft manipulator for minimally invasive surgery. Unlike traditional surgical manipulators based on metallic steerable needles, tendon-driven mechanisms, or articulated motorized links, we combine flexible fluidic actuators to obtain multidirectional bending and elongation with a variable stiffness mechanism based on granular jamming. The idea is to develop a manipulator based on a series of modules, each consisting of a silicone matrix with pneumatic chambers for 3-D motion, and one central channel for the integration of granular-jamming-based stiffening mechanism. A bellows-shaped braided structure is used to contain the lateral expansion of the flexible fluidic actuator and to increase its motion range. In this paper, the design and experimental characterization of a single module composed of such a manipulator is presented. Possible applications of the manipulator in the surgical field are discussed.
Nanoscale Research Letters - NANOSCALE RES LETT, 2010
In the latest years, innovative nanomaterials have attracted a dramatic and exponentially increas... more In the latest years, innovative nanomaterials have attracted a dramatic and exponentially increasing interest, in particular for their potential applications in the biomedical field. In this paper, we reported our findings on the cytocompatibility of barium titanate nanoparticles (BTNPs), an extremely interesting ceramic material. A rational and systematic study of BTNP cytocompatibility was performed, using a dispersion method based on a non-covalent binding to glycol-chitosan, which demonstrated the optimal cytocompatibility of this nanomaterial even at high concentration (100 μg/ml). Moreover, we showed that the efficiency of doxorubicin, a widely used chemotherapy drug, is highly enhanced following the complexation with BTNPs. Our results suggest that innovative ceramic nanomaterials such as BTNPs can be realistically exploited as alternative cellular nanovectors.
2013 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems; 11/2013
Magnetic driven wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) represents one of the last achievements in the ... more Magnetic driven wireless capsule endoscopy (WCE) represents one of the last achievements in the research of minimally invasive tools for gastrointestinal tract (GI) diagnosis. Recently, capsule localization methodologies have been employed to enable system autonomy maintaining a magnetic link with the device and managing interaction forces with GI tissues. To achieve these objectives, the locomotion platforms exploit automatic motion in some degrees of freedom and unsupervised contact with the external patient abdomen can occur. In this paper safety issues are faced; in particular a safety system, able to monitor pressure with patient abdomen, has been designed, characterized, and integrated with a magnetic driven WCE locomotion platform. New technologies, such as smart textiles, have been employed as sensible element.
This paper presents a new design of worm robot whose body is constructed using a novel crimped el... more This paper presents a new design of worm robot whose body is constructed using a novel crimped elastic mesh braid inspired by the earthworm. The proposed worm robot is intended for inspection within the human body via natural orifices. The design and fabrication procedure of the worm robot are given in the paper. The imitation of peristalsis, used by natural worms, is used to control the worm robot for the purpose of producing motion while causing minimal trauma to biological tissue. The forward locomotive function of the worm robot has been tested on both a flat surface and in a rubber tube. It is shown that the worm robot is capable of propagating forwards for both test conditions in a form similar to the earthworm. The test results indicate the proposed worm robot design has promising application for natural tube inspection, like the colon and the esophagus.
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Papers by Arianna Menciassi
To investigate an accelerometer-based wearable system, named Human Movement (HuMOVE) platform, designed to enable quantitative and continuous measurement of sexual performance with minimal invasiveness and inconvenience for users.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Design, implementation, and development of HuMOVE, a wearable platform equipped with an accelerometer sensor for monitoring inertial parameters for sexual performance assessment and diagnosis, were performed. The system enables quantitative measurement of movement parameters during sexual intercourse, meeting the requirements of wearability, data storage, sampling rate, and interfacing methods, which are fundamental for human sexual intercourse performance analysis. HuMOVE was validated through characterization using a controlled experimental test bench and evaluated in a human model during simulated sexual intercourse conditions.
RESULTS
HuMOVE demonstrated to be a robust and quantitative monitoring platform and a reliable candidate for sexual performance evaluation and diagnosis. Characterization analysis on the controlled experimental test bench demonstrated an accurate correlation between the HuMOVE system and data from a reference displacement sensor. Experimental tests in the human model during simulated intercourse conditions confirmed the accuracy of the sexual performance evaluation platform and the effectiveness of the selected and derived parameters. The obtained outcomes also established the project expectations in terms of usability and comfort, evidenced by the questionnaires that highlighted the low invasiveness and acceptance of the device.
CONCLUSION
To the best of our knowledge, HuMOVE platform is the first device for human sexual performance analysis compatible with sexual intercourse; the system has the potential to be a helpful tool for physicians to accurately classify sexual disorders, such as premature or delayed ejaculation.
To investigate an accelerometer-based wearable system, named Human Movement (HuMOVE) platform, designed to enable quantitative and continuous measurement of sexual performance with minimal invasiveness and inconvenience for users.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Design, implementation, and development of HuMOVE, a wearable platform equipped with an accelerometer sensor for monitoring inertial parameters for sexual performance assessment and diagnosis, were performed. The system enables quantitative measurement of movement parameters during sexual intercourse, meeting the requirements of wearability, data storage, sampling rate, and interfacing methods, which are fundamental for human sexual intercourse performance analysis. HuMOVE was validated through characterization using a controlled experimental test bench and evaluated in a human model during simulated sexual intercourse conditions.
RESULTS
HuMOVE demonstrated to be a robust and quantitative monitoring platform and a reliable candidate for sexual performance evaluation and diagnosis. Characterization analysis on the controlled experimental test bench demonstrated an accurate correlation between the HuMOVE system and data from a reference displacement sensor. Experimental tests in the human model during simulated intercourse conditions confirmed the accuracy of the sexual performance evaluation platform and the effectiveness of the selected and derived parameters. The obtained outcomes also established the project expectations in terms of usability and comfort, evidenced by the questionnaires that highlighted the low invasiveness and acceptance of the device.
CONCLUSION
To the best of our knowledge, HuMOVE platform is the first device for human sexual performance analysis compatible with sexual intercourse; the system has the potential to be a helpful tool for physicians to accurately classify sexual disorders, such as premature or delayed ejaculation.