Proiect coordinated by the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca
Project Director: Prof. Dr. Ing. Calin VAIDA
Experimental demonstration project (PED) financed by the Executive Unit for Financing Higher Education, Research, Development and Innovation(UEFISCDI)
Project code: PN-III-P2-2.1-PED2019-4375, Duration: 2020-2022.



The medical instruments within the OnTarget project were designed to perform radiofrequency ablation and brachytherapy procedures for patients presenting inoperable malignant tumors in the chest or abdomen. The two medical instruments can be attached to the flange of several robotic systems by means of a flange adapter. A special adaptive control system was developed for the operation of medical instruments, capable of monitoring the forces in the system in real time and at the same time predicting the deflection of the needle as it is inserted based on the recorded forces. br

The radio-ablation instrument is equipped with a needle insertion module and another electrode extension/retraction module. The guidance of the instrument is done with the help of the robotic system (Kuka iiwa or PARA-BRACHYROB) and after reaching the needle insertion point, the ablation instrument takes control of the procedure and, with the help of the operator, inserts the ablation needle as precisely as possible. br

The brachytherapy instrument is provided with a brachytherapy needle insertion module, a storage that can hold up to six needles, a needle loading system and a needle guidance and release system. The operation of the instrument is similar to that of the ablation instrument, the difference being that the brachytherapy needle is no longer extracted by the instrument, it is released into the target organ, the instrument can insert up to six needles in a single charge, and after insertion of the needles, their stylets are also extracted by the robotic system with the help of the needle guidance system, the cannulas remaining in the target organ are connected to the dosimetry device and after the completion of the medical procedure they are manually extracted by the surgeon.