The experimental study of a precision parallel manipulator with binary actuation: With application to MRI cancer treatment

In this paper the performance of a high-precision parallel robot manipulator with bistable actuation is experimentally evaluated. The manipulator is for performing prostate cancer biopsy and treatment within the bore of a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system. The analysis and simulations have shown that this bistable manipulator is able to perform well with dielectric elastomer actuators that have been shown to be compatible with the high magnetic fields of an MRI. In this work an experimental prototype system was developed and tested. The results show that it provides the precise needle placement required by the medical task.