An Anatomy-Aware Shared Control Approach for Assisted Teleoperation of Lung Ultrasound Examinations
Davide Nardi, Edoardo Lamon, Daniele Fontanelli, Matteo Saveriano, Luigi Palopoli
AI summary
Problem
Fully autonomous robotic ultrasound systems struggle with patient anatomical variability, while standard teleoperation lacks the precise feedback needed for non-experts to accurately place probes in narrow intercostal spaces without rib interference.
Approach
The system uses a patient-specific 3D anatomical model to generate real-time virtual fixtures that constrain probe position to intercostal windows and guide optimal orientation, providing shared control assistance via haptic and visual feedback.
Key results
- Validated SKEL model accuracy against anthropometric measurements
- Improved usability and perceived performance for naive operators
- Reduced examination time by over 20% for expert users
- Successfully constrained probe placement to intercostal areas while avoiding rib contact
Why it matters
Makes remote lung ultrasound safer and more efficient, expanding telehealth access to clinicians who lack specialized robotic ultrasound training.
Abstract
Although fully autonomous systems still face chal- lenges due to patients’ anatomical variability, teleoperated sys- tems appear to be more practical in current healthcare settings. This paper presents an anatomy-aware control framework for teleoperated lung ultrasound. Leveraging biomechanically accu- rate 3D modelling, the system applies virtual constraints on the ultrasound probe pose and provides real-time visual feedback to assist in precise probe placement tasks. A twofold evaluation, one with 5 na ̈ıve operators on a single volunteer and the second with a single experienced operator on 6 volunteers, compared our method with a standard teleoperation baseline. The results of the first one characterised the accuracy of the anatomical model and the improved perceived performance by the na ̈ıve operators, while the second one focused on the efficiency of the system in improving probe placement and reducing procedure time com- pared to traditional teleoperation. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework enhances the physician’s capabilities in executing remote lung ultrasound, reducing more than 20% of execution time on 4-point acquisitions, towards faster, more objective and repeatable exams.