Dimensional Optimization of a Two-Arm Robot for Single-Site Surgery Operations

Unlike open surgery, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) involves small incisions through which instruments are passed to perform surgery. This technique is preferred since it reduces postoperative pain and recovery time. Laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) surgery is the next step in MIS; a single incision is created instead of multiple access points for allowing the instruments to enter the peritoneal cavity. However, such minimally invasive techniques force the surgeon to perform more complex movements, hence the interest to use robotic systems. Design of robots for LESS is challenging to avoid collisions, reduce weight, and improve compactness while respecting the technical requirements (minimum forces, velocities). In this paper, we present the dimensional synthesis of a two-arm robot used for LESS. Each arm has a 2R-R-R architecture with link lengths optimized to respect the workspace constraints and maximize compactness while improving the performance in terms of forces and velocities (kinetostatic properties).