@phdthesis{ec72aff073a84ecdbdd21d27bbf883b3,
title = "Magnetic Catheters: A Journey Across Orders and Scales",
abstract = "This thesis studies a subgroup of flexible instruments called catheters.Catheters are sleek tubes navigated through the natural cavities of human bodyto reach remote organs with minimum tissue damage. However, due to theirhigh mechanical compliance, catheters are challenging to steer once inside thebody. This limits their applicability to a narrow range of tasks, predominantlyin endovascular surgery. Dexterity of a catheter can be increased by integratinginto its structure coils or permanent magnets, which experience forces/torquesin external magnetic field. Such magnetic catheters are capable of exhibitingcomplex mechanical behaviour, while being structurally simpler than comparabledevices. The following chapters demonstrate how, by using the principles ofrobotics, this behaviour can be harnessed to execute clinically-relevant tasks.Contributions are made in three general areas. The thesis proposes novel designsof magnetic catheters, explores the means to sense and model their behaviour anddevises control strategies enabling their operation.",
author = "Jakub Sikorski",
year = "2020",
month = sep,
day = "30",
doi = "10.3990/1.9789464210378",
language = "English",
isbn = "978-94-6421-037-8",
publisher = "University of Twente",
address = "Netherlands",
type = "PhD Thesis - Research UT, graduation UT",
school = "University of Twente",
}