Micromachined Sensors and Actuators

• Modeling and analysis of micromachined multifunctional tactile sensors for measuring force, position, softness, and texture of an object or tissue for robotics and robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery.
• Modeling and analysis of a micromachined pulse sensor to detect and track arteries embedded within a complex tissue with application to robot-assisted surgery.
• Modeling and analysis of a micromachined thermal actuator.

Robotic and Endoscopic Tactile Sensors

• Design and fabrication of membrane and novel tactile sensors for measuring force and position with minimum sensing elements.
• Design and fabrication of simple low cost piezoelectric tactile sensors for measuring temperature of contacted objects and tissues.

Teletaction

• Modeling and experimental analysis of a teletaction system for soft objects/tissues for use in tele-surgery and robotics. Tetetaction system involvers, sensors, actuators control and data processing.
• Development of a combined tactile shape, softness and pulse display system for minimally invasive surgery.

Telemanipulation

• Modeling and experimental analysis of tele-manipulation soft objects.
• Modeling and experimental contact analysis between an endoscopic grasper and a tissue or object.

Mechatronics in surgery

• Design of systems that enhance perception and dexterity and that improve accessibility and diagnostic procedures in surgery.
• Design and fabrication of sensor systems that improve minimally invasive surgery, such as force-torque sensors, ultrasonic sensors, chemical sensors and local temperature sensors.

• Dr. Renzo, Cecere, a Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgeon in Victoria general hospital in Montreal. We have extensive collaboration since 2008. We have published two conference papers in 2010 (paper no 1 and 2). We have applied for several grant application in the area of minimally invasive heart surgery since 2007.
• Dr. Walter Gotlieb is the Director of Gynecological Oncology and expert in Robotic Assisted Minimally Invasive (RAMIS) Surgery at Montreal's Jewish General Hospital. He invited me and my research group to witness live RAMIS and discussed the lack of tactile feedback system in 2008.
• Dr. Togas Tulandi, Chief of Obstetrics and Gynecology and expert in Minimally Invasive Surgery at the Jewish General Hospital in Montreal. We have had several meetings since 2007and discussed the problems associated with minimally invasive surgery. He arranged my presentation in Jewish hospital in 2008.
• Dr. Philippe Pibarot (Cardiac Surgeon, Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie), we applied for a NSERC CHRP grant in the area of active heart valve in 2010.
• Professor Lyes Kadem, Mechanical and Industrial Engineering Department, Concordia University. We have applied for two grants in the area of Smart Heart Valve. We have also co-supervised Capstone students.
• Professors J. Angeles, R. Mongrain, and J. Kovecses, Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University. Following correspondence and meetings, a joint CFI, NSERC strategic and NSERC CHRP grants was applied since 2007.
• Professor J. Kovecses, Department of Mechanical Engineering, McGill University, currently supervising a joint PhD student in the area of application of piezoresistive tactile sensor on robotic surgery.
• Dr. Mehran Anvari, Surgeon and Professor, McMaster University, Canada. We have met and discussed various problems relating to minimally invasive surgery in 2003 and 2008. He is a pioneer in the area of Robotic Assited Minimally Invasive Surgery.
• Dr. Scarth, Chief of Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) at Saint John Regional Hospital, Saint John, New Brunswick. We have discussed many problems associated with MIS to design a better endoscopic tactile sensor.
• Dr. Myers, President, Thought Technology Ltd. I have a contract with them and we have collaborated in the development of a LifeVest. The project is in progress.
• Dr. Aghili, Robotic Group, Canadian Space Agency. We are supervising a M.A.Sc. student on the area of robotic tactile sensing.
• Professor Shirazi, Mechanical Engineering Department, Ecole Polytechnique. We are in the process of discussing a joint project. I invited him to present his work on one of our Research Days seminar.
• Professor Bhat, with whom I have graduated a M.A.Sc. student in the area of endoscopic multiaxial force torque sensors and a Ph.D. student in the area of Tool tissue interaction during endoscopic surgery.
• Professor Packirisamy, with whom I have graduated a few students, and currently I am jointly supervising one M.A.Sc. and one Ph.D. student, both of whom are working on tactile sensors for use in Minimally Invasive Surgery.
• Professor Rakheja, with whom I jointly supervised and graduated a M.A.Sc. student who worked on the effect of horizontal vibration on humans.
• Professor Ahmed, with whom I jointly supervised and graduated a M.A.Sc. student who worked on the area of application of piezoelectric polymer on collision detection.
• Professor Stiharu, with whom I jointly supervised a M,A,Sc. student who was working on a design of a sensor to measure compliance of a cell.
• Professor Sedaghati, with whom I jointly supervised and graduated two M.A.Sc. students on the design and fabrication of a tactile sensors and a piezoelectric actuators.
• Professor Kahrizi, from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, with whom I jointly supervised and graduated two M.A.Sc. students working on the area of fabrication of endoscopic tactile sensors.
• Professor Xie, with whom I am supervised two M.A.Sc. students in the area of teletaction.
• Professor Gordon, with whom I supervised a M.A.Sc. student in the area of telerobotic manipulation with application to surgery.
• Professor Siddiqui, with whom I am jointly graduated a Ph.D. student in the area of development of a pump and micropump.
• Professor M. Paraswaran and S. Payandeh, School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University, with whom I have collaborated in the area of micromachining and medical robotics since 1997.
• Professor J. Bird, Underwater Group in the School of Engineering Science, Simon Fraser University. Designed and fabricated a piezoelectric sonar sensor in 1998.