A needle that can “feel” the difference between skin, muscle, and blood vessel wall is being built to guide catheter insertions without relying on ultrasound. Every year, over 27 million procedures worldwide place central venous catheters into major blood vessels, and complication rates reach as high as 20 percent—causing punctured arteries, collapsed lungs, or misplaced lines. The BIO-SHARP system embeds bio-impedance sensors onto a tiny needle, using integrated circuits to measure electrical changes as the needle passes through distinct tissue layers. Machine learning converts that data into subtle vibrations at the clinician’s fingertip, creating a tactile map of what lies beneath the skin. If successful, the system could replace much of the guesswork and repeated ultrasound adjustments that slow down these procedures and increase cognitive strain. Fewer needle passes would mean fewer complications, shorter procedure times, and safer care for patients. The same haptic-guided approach could later extend to spinal anaesthesia, arterial catheterisation, and percutaneous tube insertions—procedures where blind needle placement currently carries significant risk.
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The BIO-SHARP project proposes a unique and transformative approach to invasive medical procedures. It addresses the precision challenges associated with needle insertion in the Seldinger techniques, used for catheter placement in blood vessels and hollow organs, particularly the Central Venous Catheter. These procedures, crucial to modern healthcare, often come with substantial risks, including high complication rates that can lead to severe health consequences. With over 27 million of these procedures performed globally each year, and complication rates reaching as high as 20%, the need for enhanced safety and efficiency in these methods is urgent. The project will pioneer the BIO-SHARP robotic system, an integrated needle platform with the potential to revolutionise invasive medical procedures. It will incorporate bio-impedance analysis onto a tiny needle empowered by integrated circuits. The needle can detect and differentiate tissue layers using bio-impedance data. Through machine learning, the robotic system converts the bio-impedance into tactile sensations, relaying critical subcutaneous information to the clinician's fingertip, allowing for intuitive and precise needle insertion to the intended location. With this new tactile experience guided by bio-impedance, our state-of-the-art engineered needle system aims to significantly reduce clinicians' cognitive and physical demands, allowing for a higher level of focus and fewer equipment adjustments posed by ultrasound guidance. As a result, the risk of complications such as needle misplacement or puncture could be greatly reduced, leading to safer and more efficient medical procedures. The BIO-SHARP project will collaborate closely with industry partner Haply Robotics, which specialises in haptic technology, to develop the visioned haptic-assistive system. Additionally, we will conduct workshops and pre-clinical studies focusing on the Central Venous Catheter procedure with University College London Hospitals to validate and refine the system's effectiveness. The objectives of the project are: Develop the integrated needle sensory platform. Develop the haptic-assistive BIO-SHARP system for needle insertion. Facilitate workshops and pre-clinical studies in collaboration with hospital partners to promote and validate the effectiveness of the BIO-SHARP system. The BIO-SHARP system can potentially have applications spanning various medical procedures, from cardiac or arterial catheterisation to percutaneous tube insertions and spinal or epidural anaesthesia. Its versatility promises to enhance patient care, improve healthcare cost efficiency, and boost the overall efficacy of medical practice. The BIO-SHARP system could also greatly simplify the training process and pave the way for advanced techniques to become more accessible to healthcare providers. The BIO-SHARP project aligns with the rapid growth of surgical robotics, propelled by healthcare challenges such as an ageing population and the ongoing impact of COVID-19. The project aims to redefine standards in Seldinger-related invasive medical procedures and influence the trajectory of its medical training, potentially leading to far-reaching benefits for the healthcare system, improving patient outcomes and working conditions of medical professionals, and marking a significant step forward in the integration of technology in healthcare.
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