Towards Autonomous Robotic-Assisted Interventions: The Value of Proximally Placed Audio Sensors for Surface and Event Characterisation

In the next decade, healthcare will experience numerous changes. Intentional technology-based disruptions will have an effect on the actual delivery, but also result in novel health business models. The chapter discusses some of the upcoming developments, the application of artificial intelligence (AI), and intelligent sensing in robotic-assisted surgery (RAS). In the near future, the combination of these technologies will lead to the emergence of dedicated RAS systems characterised by higher precision and prediction capabilities paired with reduced complexity and cost. While the procedures offer considerable advantages for the patient, they also come with their inherent problems: the guidance/navigation of the devices to a target location is either based on images acquired preoperatively and intraoperative imaging (e.g. MRI or CT, which is expensive and complicated) or video-based technologies that only allow direct visualisation. Using robotic systems for guiding and moving interventional and therapeutic devices results in additional issues, including missing tissue feedback and lack of palpation. We propose the use of a proximally attached audio sensor for recording the tissue tool interaction and providing the clinician with real-time feedback. This paper reports on the initial attempts of applying this technology for surface characterisation and interventional vascular procedures.