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Browse through all publications from the Institute of Global Health Innovation, which our Patient Safety Research Collaboration is part of. This feed includes reports and research papers from our Centre.
@article{Alian:2026:10.1109/LRA.2026.3677715,
author = {Alian, A and Avery, J and Mylonas, G},
doi = {10.1109/LRA.2026.3677715},
journal = {IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters},
pages = {6544--6551},
title = {Electrical Impedance Tomography and Neural Networks for Shape Sensing in Soft Continuum Endoscopic Robots},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/LRA.2026.3677715},
volume = {11},
year = {2026}
}
TY - JOUR
AB - Soft robotics offer biocompatibility, dexterity, and safe tissue interaction in surgery, providing potential alternatives to conventional tools such as colonoscopes. However, their nonlinear behaviour demands closed-loop control with structure-compatible feedback. This work presents a scalable 3D shape-sensing method based on Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT), unifying actuation and sensing of a hydraulically actuated soft robot within a neural network framework. A soft continuum manipulator (14.6 mm in diameter) with saline-pressurised chambers and embedded kirigami-inspired FPCs was evaluated in free motion and ex vivo porcine colon trials. A multilayer perceptron (MLP) predicted the full 3D shape, achieving tip RMSEs of 0.46, 0.20, and 0.40 mm (x, y, z) in free motion, and 1.96, 0.86, and 0.89 mm in ex vivo. This letter marks the first ex vivo validation of EIT-based shape sensing in soft endoscopy and demonstrating its potential for closed-loop surgical control.
AU - Alian,A
AU - Avery,J
AU - Mylonas,G
DO - 10.1109/LRA.2026.3677715
EP - 6551
PY - 2026///
SP - 6544
TI - Electrical Impedance Tomography and Neural Networks for Shape Sensing in Soft Continuum Endoscopic Robots
T2 - IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/LRA.2026.3677715
VL - 11
ER -
