Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery’s Post

Last Friday marked the completion of my two-month tenure with the Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) at the Hamlyn Centre for Robotic Surgery. During this time, I concentrated on developing a compact, modular, and cost-effective friction-drive mechanism for catheter manufacturing and surgical insertion in cardiovascular procedures. Utilising the advanced Markforged Mark Two and the Stratasys Objet 500 Polyjet 3D Printer at the Hamlyn Centre, I efficiently iterated multiple times and produced a near-final prototype for a part of Alex Ranne's and @Heiko Maier's PhD. This mechanism features a spring-loaded clamping system that accommodates a range of catheter or guide wire sizes with precision. The modular unit, mounted on a rig I built, enables high-precision rotation and driving of catheters, facilitating their etching with a femto-second laser at Sir Michael Uren's Hub. Previously, this process was performed manually, which was not only time-consuming but also inconsistent. The new system I developed significantly enhances manufacturing efficiency, reducing the risk of damage and Heiko’s 18-wire electrode-catheter can now be manufactured to its full design specifications. Recently, Heiko’s electrode catheters, which previously took a full day to process less than a fraction of the laser cuts, can now be produced in just 65 minutes with 34 cuts. Additionally, when paired with another identical unit, the modular driving mechanism transforms into a surgical tool capable of driving both guidewires and catheters, offering a compact footprint compared to the current industry standards, that ensures flexible mounting on patients. Beyond this main project, I contributed to several other initiatives: - A four-segment bevel-tip-needle friction drive platform - A linear stage for laboratory applications. - A mounting platform for a two-segment bevel-tip-needle drive mechanism, designed by Ryan Leung for upcoming gelatin experiments. I am deeply grateful to Prof. Ferdinando Rodriguez y Baena for the opportunity to work at the Hamlyn Centre and for the support of my supervisor, Ayhan Aktas. His guidance, even amidst his own busy schedule, completing his thesis, was invaluable. From our initial meeting through the final day, Ayhan’s support, approachability, and patience were remarkable. A special thank you to Alex for his support and trust in allowing me to work on his project. Collaborating with him and learning about catheter technologies was an enriching experience. I also appreciate all the feedback from Alex and Heiko, which was crucial for refining the design for improving user experience. Lastly, working alongside Levin Meinke and Ryan has been a pleasure. This experience at The Hamlyn Centre has not only been professionally rewarding but also personally fulfilling, and I look forward to staying connected with such an inspiring team. #Research #Engineering #MedicalDevices #Innovation #HamlynCentre #ImperialCollege