Design and fabrication of a robotic tactile device for abdominal palpation

Palpation can be used as a manual technique for detecting normal and abnormal tissues. According to the recent applications of the robotic and control systems in medical fields, the design and fabrication of a device capable of abdominal palpation is of great importance. In this paper, a device has been designed and fabricated to be used for palpation examinations. A cable mechanism has been used to meet weight and size criteria of the device. The proposed design has been explained in detail. The device measures contact force between the probe and palpated tissue and also the deflection of the tissue as the probe is pressed against the body. Useful parameters of abdominal tissue such as stiffness can also be obtained.