  Needle shape, diameter, and path are critical parameters that directly affect
suture depth and tissue trauma in autonomous suturing. This paper presents an
optimization-based approach to specify these parameters. Given clinical
suturing guidelines, a kinematic model of needle-tissue interaction was
developed to quantify suture parameters and constraints. The model was further
used to formulate constant curvature needle path planning as a nonlinear
optimization problem. The optimization results were confirmed experimentally
with the Raven II surgical system. The proposed needle path planning algorithm
guarantees minimal tissue trauma and complies with a wide range of suturing
requirements.
