Interaction humain-machine augmentée pour l’échographie : un système de guidage échographique par l’haptique

Abstract

Learning sonography is difficult, as it requires strong visuospatial skills and intensive practice to master probe manipulation to obtain the desired view during an examination. Training relies mainly on instructor supervision, either in person or remotely, on learning from videos. Moreover, various forms of guidance using visual cues have been studied in research projects. The instructor-based approach limits training time, while the other approaches place a heavy demand on visual attention, which is already required to interpret the ultrasound image. In this context, using touch through vibrotactile haptic guidance movements appears to be a relevant alternative to support learning and reduce visual load. This thesis proposes and evaluates a guidance system based on vibrotactile actuators, capable of representing five key movements used by the operator to manipulate the probe (Slide, Sweep, Roll, Rotate, and Tilt). The principle relies on vibration sequences oriented tangentially to the expected movement to provide intuitive cues. The work includes the design of the haptic device, involving the integration of LRA motors (linear resonant actuators), the development of an electronic circuit based on the DRV2605L EVM, as well as the design of a glove and a sleeve for wearing the system. To evaluate the usability of the proposed haptic stimuli and identify optimal cue configurations that promote recognition, an experiment was conducted with participants, varying different actuator parameters, specifically amplitude, vibration duration, and inter-vibration delay. Participants were required to correctly identify the location and direction of the vibrotactile cues they perceived and report their level of confidence. Participants were able to recognize the stimuli associated with Slide, Sweep, and Rotate, with success rates above 90%, regardless of parameter variations. In contrast, Roll and Tilt, with success rates around 75%, appear to be more dependent on the parameters. The confidence levels reported by users are consistent with their performance. Following these promising results, a guidance system was then developed based on the haptic system. A second experiment was conducted to evaluate the system’s ability to guide participants toward a target (probe position and orientation), using only the provided vibrotactile cues. The experiment involved guiding participants toward eight targets. The system demonstrated a performance level of 5.2 out of 8 targets reached, and 100% success for translation cues (Slide and Sweep). Some of the errors appear to be related to the specific motor strategies adopted by participants to manipulate the probe, to a misinterpretation of the cues. These results suggest that vibrotactile guidance is a promising approach for supporting the learning of ultrasound probe manipulation, although further improvements to the system can still be considered.

Date	16 Jun 2026
Original language	French
Awarding Institution	École de technologie supérieure
Supervisor	Catherine Laporte (Supervisor), Vincent Lévesque (Co-supervisor) & Ramy El Jalbout (Co-supervisor)