publications

2023

1. 

   Collaborative Magnetic Manipulation via Two Robotically Actuated Permanent Magnets

   Giovanni Pittiglio, Michael Brockdorff, Tomas Veiga, and 3 more authors

   IEEE Transactions on Robotics, 2023

2. 

   Closed Loop Static Control of Multi-Magnet Soft Continuum Robots

   Giovanni Pittiglio, Andrew L. Orekhov, Tomas Veiga, and 4 more authors

   IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 2023
3. Six-Degree-of-Freedom Localization Under Multiple Permanent Magnets Actuation

   Tomás Veiga, Giovanni Pittiglio, Michael Brockdorff, and 2 more authors

   IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, 2023

4. 

   Personalized magnetic tentacles for targeted photothermal cancer therapy in peripheral lungs

   Giovanni Pittiglio, James H. Chandler, Tomas Veiga, and 8 more authors

   Nature Communications Engineering, Jul 2023

   Abs

   Lung cancer remains one of the most life-threatening diseases and is currently managed through invasive approaches such as surgery, chemo- or radiotherapy. In this work, we introduce a novel method for the targeted delivery of a therapeutic laser for the treatment of tumors in peripheral areas of the lungs. The approach uses a 2.4\thinspacemm diameter, ultra-soft, patient-specific magnetic catheter delivered from the end of a standard bronchoscope to reach the periphery of the lungs. Integrated shape sensing facilitates supervised autonomous full-shape control for precise navigation into the sub-segmental bronchi, and an embedded laser fiber allows for treatment via localized energy delivery. We report the complete navigation of eight primary lumina in the bronchi of an anatomically accurate phantom (developed from computed tomography (CT) data) and successful laser delivery for photothermal ablation. We further evaluate the approach in three diverse branches of excised cadaveric lungs, showing a mean improvement in navigation depth of 37% with less tissue displacement when compared to a standard semi-rigid catheter and navigation depth repeatability across all tests of <1\thinspacemm.

5. 

   Magnetic Ball Chain Robots for Endoluminal Interventions

   Giovanni Pittiglio, Margherita Mencattelli, and Pierre E. Dupont

   In 2023 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Jul 2023
6. Closed-form Kinematic Model and Workspace Characterization for Magnetic Ball Chain Robots

   Giovanni Pittiglio, Margherita Mencattelli, and Pierre E. Dupont

   In 2023 International Symposium on Medical Robotics (ISMR), Jul 2023
7. Independent Control of Two Magnetic Robots using External Permanent Magnets: A Feasibility Study

   Joshua Davy, Tomas Da Veiga, Giovanni Pittiglio, and 2 more authors

   In 2023 International Symposium on Medical Robotics (ISMR), Jul 2023
8. A Magnetically-Actuated Coiling Soft Robot With Variable Stiffness

   Peter Lloyd, Theodosia Lourdes Thomas, Venkatasubramanian Kalpathy Venkiteswaran, and 4 more authors

   IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, Jul 2023
9. Independently Actuated Soft Magnetic Manipulators for Bimanual Operations in Confined Anatomical Cavities

   Zaneta Koszowska, Michael Brockdorff, Tomas Veiga, and 7 more authors

   Advanced Intelligent Systems, Jul 2023

   Abs

   Soft magnetic manipulators offer the prospect of improved surgical outcomes through their potential for miniaturization and inherently safe tissue interaction. However, independent actuation of multiple manipulators within the same confined workspace is limited by undesired simultaneous actuation and manipulator–manipulator interactions. Herein, for the first time, approaches for the independent magnetic actuation of two magnetic continuum manipulators within the same confined workspace are proposed. A novel modular magnetic soft robot segment design is proposed with modified geometry to provide preferential bending planes and high angles of deflection. This design is integrated into two dual-segment magnetic manipulators which, when arranged in parallel, can deliver independent bending in two planes of motion. Two distinct independent control strategies are proposed, based on orthogonal manipulator magnetization profiles and local field gradient control, respectively. Each dual-manipulator configuration is characterized over a sequence of applied magnetic fields and gradients, induced via a dual robotically controlled external permanent magnet system. Manipulator independence, bending range of motion, and twisting behaviors are evaluated as a function of control strategy and manipulator separation distance. To demonstrate the system’s potential in clinical scenarios, a dual-manipulator configuration is adapted to carry an endoscopic camera and optic fiber, respectively. The resultant bimanual system is deployed in the confined anatomy of a skull-base phantom to simulate minimally invasive ablation of a pituitary adenoma. Independent motion of the camera and tool within the confined workspace demonstrate the potential for an independent magnetic tool manipulation for surgical applications.

10. Hybrid Tendon and Ball Chain Continuum Robots for Enhanced Dexterity in Medical Interventions

    Giovanni Pittiglio, Margherita Mencattelli, Abdulhamit Donder, and 2 more authors

    In 2023 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Oct 2023

2022

1. 

   Patient-Specific Magnetic Catheters for Atraumatic Autonomous Endoscopy

   Giovanni Pittiglio, Peter Lloyd, Tomas Veiga, and 4 more authors

   Soft Robotics, Oct 2022

   PMID: 35312350

   Abs

   Despite increasing interest in minimally invasive surgical techniques and related developments in flexible endoscopes and catheters, follow-the-leader motion remains elusive. Following the path of least resistance through a tortuous and potentially delicate environment without relying on interaction with the surrounding anatomy requires the control of many degrees of freedom. This typically results in large-diameter instruments. One viable solution to obtain dexterity without increasing size is via multiple-point magnetic actuation over the length of the catheter. The main challenge of this approach is planning magnetic interaction to allow the catheter to adapt to the surrounding anatomy during navigation. We design and manufacture a fully shape-forming, soft magnetic catheter of 80 mm length and 2 mm diameter, capable of navigating a human anatomy in a follow-the-leader fashion. Although this system could be exploited for a range of endoscopic or intravascular applications, here we demonstrate its efficacy for navigational bronchoscopy. From a patient-specific preoperative scan, we optimize the catheters’ magnetization profiles and the shape-forming actuating field. To generate the required transient magnetic fields, a dual-robot arm system is employed. We fabricate three separate prototypes to demonstrate minimal contact navigation through a three-dimensional bronchial tree phantom under precomputed robotic control. We also compare a further four separate optimally designed catheters against mechanically equivalent designs with axial magnetization profiles along their length and only at the tip. Using our follow-the-leader approach, we demonstrate up to 50% more accurate tracking, 50% reduction in obstacle contact time during navigation over the state of the art, and an improvement in targeting error of 90%.

2. Magnetic Soft Continuum Robots With Braided Reinforcement

   Peter Lloyd, Onaizah Onaizah, Giovanni Pittiglio, and 3 more authors

   IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, Oct 2022

2021

1. Material Characterization for Magnetic Soft Robots

   Tomás Da Veiga, James H. Chandler, Giovanni Pittiglio, and 5 more authors

   In 2021 IEEE 4th International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft), Oct 2021
2. On the Observability and Observer Design on the Special Orthogonal Group Based on Partial Inertial Sensing

   Giovanni Pittiglio, Simone Calò, and Pietro Valdastri

   IEEE Transactions on Automatic Control, Oct 2021

2020

1. Challenges of continuum robots in clinical context: a review

   Tomas Veiga, James H Chandler, Peter Lloyd, and 5 more authors

   Progress in Biomedical Engineering, Jul 2020

   Abs

   With the maturity of surgical robotic systems based on traditional rigid-link principles, the rate of progress slowed as limits of size and controllable degrees of freedom were reached. Continuum robots came with the potential to deliver a step change in the next generation of medical devices, by providing better access, safer interactions and making new procedures possible. Over the last few years, several continuum robotic systems have been launched commercially and have been increasingly adopted in hospitals. Despite the clear progress achieved, continuum robots still suffer from design complexity hindering their dexterity and scalability. Recent advances in actuation methods have looked to address this issue, offering alternatives to commonly employed approaches. Additionally, continuum structures introduce significant complexity in modelling, sensing, control and fabrication; topics which are of particular focus in the robotics community. It is, therefore, the aim of the presented work to highlight the pertinent areas of active research and to discuss the challenges to be addressed before the potential of continuum robots as medical devices may be fully realised.

2. Dual-Arm Control for Enhanced Magnetic Manipulation

   In 2020 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS), Jul 2020
3. Optimal Design of Soft Continuum Magnetic Robots under Follow-the-leader Shape Forming Actuation

   Peter Lloyd, Giovanni Pittiglio, James H. Chandler, and 1 more author

   In 2020 International Symposium on Medical Robotics (ISMR), Jul 2020

2019

1. Magnetic Levitation for Soft-Tethered Capsule Colonoscopy Actuated With a Single Permanent Magnet: A Dynamic Control Approach

   Giovanni Pittiglio, Lavinia Barducci, James W. Martin, and 4 more authors

   IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, Jul 2019
2. Adaptive Dynamic Control for Magnetically Actuated Medical Robots

   Lavinia Barducci, Giovanni Pittiglio, Joseph C. Norton, and 2 more authors

   IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters, Jul 2019

2018

1. Dynamic Control of Cable Driven Parallel Robots with Unknown Cable Stiffness: a Joint Space Approach

   Giovanni Pittiglio, Alexandros Kogkas, Joric Oude Vrielink, and 1 more author

   In 2018 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), Jul 2018