Design and prototyping exploration of an end effector for automated drug compounding

ABSTRACT:

Chemotherapy (CTX) is essential for cancer treatment, yet its cytotoxic properties pose significant risks to clinicians. As cancer incidence rises, demand for safe and reliable CTX preparation methods intensifies; Automated Drug Compounding (ADC) promises to address these issues. Nonetheless, technical and operational barriers limit adoption. Foremost, the reliable manipulation of syringes by robotic end effectors remains a challenge. This paper examines limitations of current end effectors for ADC systems, identifies design requirements necessary, and proposes a novel design to address them.