The SOFA simulator is a simulation environment capable of simulating soft tissue interactions and convincing X-Ray imaging of that soft tissue. Currently, a project is undertaken to model the movement of a catheter inside SOFA-simulated arteries by another student.
In discussion with D. Kundrat and G. Dagnino, a thesis assignment was created to take this a step further and design a control mechanism for the catheter inside this simulation environment. The research would use the physical robotic master-slave system for endovascular operations, replacing the slave with a simulation environment. The connection between the two would be part of the research assignment. After connecting the master to the SOFA-environment, the direction for control of the catheter would be one of mixed autonomy, where artificial intelligence corrects the user for mistakes but does not interfere with perfect operation by the user.
The main topics of research would be the control of the catheter by the hybrid of manual control and artificial intelligence and the integration of the master into the simulation environment. In the end, the product of this research could be useful for both the training of surgeons in simulation and the application of artificial intelligence in real endovascular operations.