Title :
Lump detection with a gelsight sensor
Author :
Xiaodan Jia ; Rui Li ; Srinivasan, M.A. ; Adelson, E.H.
Author_Institution :
Perceptual Sci. Group, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
Abstract :
A GelSight sensor is a tactile sensing device comprising a clear elastomeric pad covered with a reflective membrane, coupled with optics to measure the membrane´s deformations. When the pad is pressed against an object´s surface, the membrane changes shape in accord with mechanical and geometrical properties of the object. Since soft tissue is more compliant than hard tissue, one can detect an embedded lump by pressing the GelSight pad against the tissue surface and observing the hump that forms over the lump. We tested this system´s sensitivity by constructing phantoms of soft rubber with hard embedded lumps. The system is quite sensitive; for example it could detect a 2mm lump at a depth of 5mm. The sensor was more sensitive than previous tactile lump detectors. It was also better than human observers using their fingertips. Such a capability could help in tumor screening, and could augment the sensory information available in telemedicine or minimally invasive surgery.
Keywords :
biomedical equipment; biomembranes; cellular biophysics; elastic deformation; embedded systems; haptic interfaces; phantoms; rubber; shape measurement; surgery; tactile sensors; telemedicine; tumours; GelSight pad; GelSight sensor; elastomeric pad; embedded lump detection; geometrical property; mechanical property; membrane deformation measurement; minimally invasive surgery; phantoms; reflective membrane; soft rubber; soft tissue; tactile lump detector; tactile sensing device; telemedicine; tumor screening; Biological tissues; Force; Imaging phantoms; Phantoms; Robot sensing systems; Rubber; Shape; H.5.2 [Information Interfaces and Presentation]: User Interface-Haptics I/O; H.l.2 [Models and Principles]: UserlMachine System-Human Information Processing;
Conference_Titel :
World Haptics Conference (WHC), 2013
Conference_Location :
Daejeon
Print_ISBN :
978-1-4799-0087-9
DOI :
10.1109/WHC.2013.6548404