Discovering the 6th Degree of Freedom: How to Incorporate the Electrode Lead in the DBS Automatic Leksell Frame Adjuster Device

Abstract

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) is a neurosurgical treatment that uses electrical stimulation to targeted portions of the brain to treat conditions such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, Tourettes, OCD, and obesity. The current Leksell frame Adjuster is an antiquated device that neurosurgeons have been using that is very tedious and outdated for them. I will be making the device automatic, while figuring out the 6th degree of freedom to see if the arc frame is able to handle the load of the STar Drive, while being able to move ±180°. The key variables that were tested were torque requirement (τ), angular displacement (θ), angular velocity (ω), and angular acceleration (α). The methods used were to acquire the moment of inertia for the arc frame and the STar drive, using a rectangular block to approximate the STar drive, and using Python to create simulations to test response times under a range of simulated loads to confirm the dynamic arch achieves ±180° movement. Results showed that the torque requirements were not constant, but varied across angular positions, with maximum requirements at ±90o. The angular displacement simulation was tested against time, showing that it takes 10 seconds to complete a full cycle, starting at its origin -180°, to +180°, then back to -180°. In summary, this study proved the feasibility of adding an extra degree of freedom to the automatic Leksell Frame Adjuster.

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