Semester 2Â 2021
Knee Robotic Study
About The Project
This project builds upon a design and prototype that was developed by a group of ANU Engineering students in Semester 1 2021 (shown below).
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The project goal is to design and manufacture a clamp that is capable of fixing the femur bone in place during knee replacement surgeries, whilst also measuring the forces and torques applied to the knee by the orthopaedic surgeon with use of integrated sensors. Currently, an assistant is required to hold the thigh and the surgeons perform soft-tissue balancing processes in surgery qualitatively 'by feel'. Successful project completion will therefore propose a highly useful tool for allowing surgeons to have a more quantitative and streamlined way to determine the appropriate forces to be withstood by a knee post surgery.
Project Plan
1. Research & Concept Refinement
Collate handover documentation and project resources, establish project scope and stakeholder requirements, identify optimisation opportunities for initial prototype, research sensor and medical grade material options.
2. Sensor Design & Model Analysis
Review existing sensor technologies, utilise the client's evolving 3D model to design and select mechanical & electrical sensors of appropriate size for torque measurement about the knee, ensure clamp & sensor components are safe for medical use and can safely endure hospital sterilisation processes, modify clamp design to accommodate sensors, identify data to be collected, apply FEA on CAD model applied to the femur to determine safe operating limits and to analyse stress distribution when in operation.
3. Finalise System Design & Prototype
Finalise a mechanically instrumented femur clamp design and an in depth analysis of potential electronic sensors for future development in later project phases. If COVID-19 lockdown restrictions permit; 3D print an instrumented prototype from a stiff plastic, test sensor operation and accuracy against a control, test the assembly on a skeleton model and iterate design based upon analysis results and feedback. Identify areas for improvement and write comprehensive handover documentation for future project work.