Study on the Low Velocity Stability of a Prostate Seed Implantation Robot’s Rotatory Joint

Abstract

Prostate cancer has one of the highest incidences of male malignant tumors worldwide. Its treatment involves the robotic implantation of radioactive seeds in the perineum, a safe and effective procedure for early, low-risk prostate cancer. In order to ensure precise positioning, the seed implantation needle is set at low terminal velocity. In this paper, the motion output position instability caused by the friction torque of the robot’s motor and rotating joint during low velocity motion was analyzed and studied. This paper also presents a compensation control method based on the LuGre friction model, which offers piecewise parameter identification with GA-PSO. First, based on an analysis of its structure and working principle, the friction torque model of the robotic system and the torque model of the driving motor are established, and the influence of friction torque on motion stability analyzed. Then, based on experimental data of the relationship between velocity and friction torque for no-friction compensation, the velocity point of the minimum torque of the rotating joint and the critical Stribeck velocity point were used for segmental parameter identification; cubic spline interpolation was used for segmental fitting. Furthermore, on the basis of the LuGre model identification method, parameter identification of the genetic algorithm-particle swarm optimization, and compensation control of the LuGre friction model, a control method is analysed and set forth. Malab2017a/Simulink simulation software was used to simulate and analyze the control method, and verify its feasibility. Finally, the cantilever prostate seed implantation robot system was tested to verify the effectiveness of the segmented identification method and the compensation control strategy. The results reveal that motion output position stability at low velocity meets the requirements of the cantilever prostate seed implantation robot, thus providing a vital reference for further research.