Medical Robot Application Using 6-RSS Parallel Mechanism

This paper presents the design, kinematics, and a range of medical applications for a 6-RSS (Revolute-Spherical-Spherical) Stewart platform. Unlike traditional linear-actuated parallel mechanisms, the 6-RSS platform utilizes rotary actuators to significantly reduce moving mass, thereby enhancing dynamic performance for high-speed and high-acceleration tasks essential in precision medical robotics. The paper presents a detailed design and its kinematic analysis, and it also demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed Stewart platform through several case studies: a remote ultrasound diagnostic system, a non-face-to-face nasal swab sampling robot, a tele-otolaryngology robot, and a non-invasive neuro stimulation system. These applications demonstrate the platform’s ability to provide precise 6-degrees-of-freedom (DOF) motion control, its adaptability for both direct and heterogeneous robot control, and its effectiveness as a micro-motion end-effector in a macro-micro system. The findings suggest that the 6-RSS Stewart platform provides a compact, cost-effective, and dynamically superior solution that can be utilized as a viable alternative to conventional parallel mechanisms in medical robotics.