Editor-Curated Robotics Industry Briefing - RobotToday

Bhoomika Gandhi Discusses Optical Tactile Sensor for Head Motion Tracking in Radiotherapy

Bhoomika Gandhi's PhD research focuses on developing an optical tactile sensor designed to track head motion during radiotherapy. This innovation addresses significant challenges faced by patients undergoing treatment for head and neck cancers, who are often immobilized using thermoplastic masks or stereotactic frames. Current systems struggle with occlusion and limited motion tracking, which can compromise treatment accuracy. The optical tactile sensor, embedded in a Motion Capture Pillow, aims to enhance patient comfort while providing real-time feedback on both translational and rotational movements. This system is non-ferromagnetic, making it compatible with radiotherapy environments, and it eliminates occlusion issues by maintaining direct contact with the patient's head. The research emphasizes the importance of accurate tracking to improve treatment outcomes and patient experience. Looking ahead, the integration of this technology into clinical workflows will be crucial. Gandhi's work includes contributions such as optimizing marker density and sensor fusion with gyroscopic data to enhance reliability. No further timeline was disclosed at the time of publication.