MECHATRONIC PLACEMENT AND POSITIONING OF PROSTHETIC ACETABULAR CUP

Cup implantation is a critical stage during THR Surgery. It is mainly because of the rudimentary mallet-based impaction technique, whereby mal-positioning and unknown forces are present. There are some technological attempts to solve this problem partially: dealing with mal-positioning while patient remains subjected to non-standardized impaction forces.Our comprehensive approach to the problem allows the surgeon to monitor cup positioning and perform controlled insertion with a completely known force profile. Positioning is monitored by means of IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) technology, while placement is controlled by force feedback and vibratory insertion device. Both technological building blocks (IMU and vibratory insertor) are embedded on a single device containing signal processing and automatic control strategies. This mechatronic device is called BMD3.This work covers the entire device development life cycle illustrated in figure 1: the roadmap starts at the conceptual inspiration through scien...