Enhancing safety and autonomy in minimally invasive surgery through reliable blood vessel localisation

This project aims to develop innovative instruments for minimally invasive surgery (MIS) equipped with sensors capable of reliably detecting blood vessels in deep tissues. This advanced technology will allow surgeons to identify arteries hidden by layers of fatty or scar tissue and support autonomous task planning in the next generation of Surgical Robots.<br /> <br /> Currently, MIS faces limitations due to reduced visibility and lack of tactile feedback, often requiring surgeons to rely on visual cues. Although recent advancements in hyperspectral imaging and fluorescent dye injections offer some improvements, these methods require a line of sight and are restricted to surface-level tissues. Current sensorised instruments, relying on pressure or optical methods, are hindered scattering effects caused by layers of adipose or fibrotic tissue. This gap in effective deep-tissue vessel detection limits the ability of robots to plan tasks safely. <br /> <br /> To overcome these limitations, we propose a novel Multi-Frequency Electrical Impedance Tomography (MF-EIT) approach. By using multiple electrodes and cardiosynchronous signal processing, this approach will allow deeper and more accurate detection of blood vessels, even in the presence of challenging tissues. Synchronizing the MF-EIT signals with the patient's ECG cycle and averaging over heartbeats is expected to significantly enhance the SNR, expanding the instrument's sensitive volume and enabling real-time feedback. This would enable the sensor data to be integrated into existing manual and robotic surgical workflows and track the locations of safety critical structures even as the tissue deforms during operations. <br /> <br /> This research introduces a unique approach to addressing fundamental safety challenges inherent in MIS procedures. By developing hardware and firmware for real-time processing and potentially overlaying information onto surgical imaging, this project opens new avenues for AI-assisted scanning and autonomous robotic surgery. The sensing concept will be validated in tissue mimicking phantoms and potentially live porcine models. Later stages of the project will focus on into the STORM Lab’s da Vinci Research Kit, to contribute to the groundbreaking research into autonomy in robotic surgery.<br />

<p><a href="https://www.stormlabuk.com/">STORM lab</a></p> <p><a href="https://robotics.leeds.ac.uk/facilities/research-assets/da-vinci-kit/">da Vinci Research Kit</a></p>

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">Formal applications for research degree study should be made online through the <a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/research-applying/doc/applying-research-degrees">University's website</a>. Please state clearly in the Planned Course of Study section that you are applying for <em><strong>PHD Electronic & Electrical Engineering FT</strong></em> and in the research information section that the research degree you wish to be considered for is <em><strong>Enhancing safety and autonomy in minimally invasive surgery through reliable blood vessel localisation</strong></em> as well as <a href="https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/electronic-engineering/staff/14555/dr-james-avery">James Avery</a> and <a href="https://eps.leeds.ac.uk/electronic-engineering/staff/863/professor-pietro-valdastri">Pietro Valdastri</a> as your proposed supervisors. <em><strong>Please state clearly in the Finance section that the funding source you are applying for is School of Electronic & Electrical Engineering Studentship 2025/26.</strong></em></p> <p>If English is not your first language, you must provide evidence that you meet the University's minimum English language requirements (below).</p> <p><em>As an international research-intensive university, we welcome students from all walks of life and from across the world. We foster an inclusive environment where all can flourish and prosper, and we are proud of our strong commitment to student education. Across all Faculties we are dedicated to diversifying our community and we welcome the unique contributions that individuals can bring, and particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to Black, Asian, people who belong to a minority ethnic community, people who identify as LGBT+ and people with disabilities. Applicants will always be selected based on merit and ability.</em></p> <p>Applications will be considered on an ongoing basis.  Potential applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the supervisors for an informal discussion before making a formal application.  We also advise that you apply at the earliest opportunity as the application and selection process may close early, should we receive a sufficient number of applications or that a suitable candidate is appointed.</p> <p>Please note that you must provide the following documents in support of your application by the closing date of Friday 31 January 2025:</p> <ul> <li>Full Transcripts of all degree study or if in final year of study, full transcripts to date</li> <li>Personal Statement outlining your interest in the project</li> <li>CV</li> </ul>

Applicants to research degree programmes should normally have at least a first class or an upper second class British Bachelors Honours degree (or equivalent) in an appropriate discipline. The criteria for entry for some research degrees may be higher, for example, several faculties, also require a Masters degree. Applicants are advised to check with the relevant School prior to making an application. Applicants who are uncertain about the requirements for a particular research degree are advised to contact the School or Graduate School prior to making an application.

The minimum English language entry requirement for research postgraduate research study is an IELTS of 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component (reading, writing, listening and speaking) or equivalent. The test must be dated within two years of the start date of the course in order to be valid. Some schools and faculties have a higher requirement.

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">A highly competitive School of Electronic & Electrical Engineering Studentship providing the award of full academic fees, together with a tax-free maintenance grant at the standard UKRI rate (£19,237 in academic session 2024/25) for 3.5 years. There are no additional allowances for travel, research expenses, conference attendance or any other costs.</p> <p>You will be responsible for paying the overtime fee in full in your writing up/overtime year (£320 in Session 2024/25), but the scholarship maintenance allowance will continue to be paid for up to 6 months in the final year of award.</p> <p><strong>Important:</strong> Please note that that the award does <em><strong>not</strong></em> cover the costs associated with moving to the UK.  All such costs (<a href="https://www.leeds.ac.uk/international-visas-immigration/doc/applying-student-visa">visa, Immigration Health Surcharge</a>, flights etc) would have to be met by yourself, or you will need to find an alternative funding source. </p> <p>Please refer to the <a href="https://www.ukcisa.org.uk/">UKCISA</a> website for information regarding Fee Status for Non-UK Nationals.</p>

<p class="MsoNoSpacing">For further information about this project, please contact Dr James Avery by email to <a href="mailto:J.P.Avery@leeds.ac.uk">J.P.Avery@leeds.ac.uk</a></p> <p>For further information about your application, please contact PGR Admissions by email to <a href="mailto:phd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk">phd@engineering.leeds.ac.uk</a></p>