Autonomous robotic ultrasound System (RUSS) has been extensively studied. However, fully automated ultrasound image acquisition is still challenging, partly due to the lack of study in combining two phases of path planning: guiding the ultrasound probe to the scan target and covering the scan surface or volume. This paper presents a system of Automated Path Planning for RUSS (APP-RUSS). Our focus is on the first phase of automation, which emphasizes directing the ultrasound probe's path toward the target over extended distances. Specifically, our APP-RUSS system consists of a RealSense D405 RGB-D camera that is employed for visual guidance of the UR5e robotic arm and a cubic Bezier curve path planning model that is customized for delivering the probe to the recognized target. APP-RUSS can contribute to understanding the integration of the two phases of path planning in robotic ultrasound imaging, paving the way for its clinical adoption.

翻译：自主机器人超声系统（RUSS）已被广泛研究。然而，全自动超声图像采集仍具挑战性，部分原因在于路径规划的两个阶段（引导超声探头到达扫描目标、覆盖扫描表面或体积）缺乏整合研究。本文提出了一种面向RUSS的自动化路径规划系统（APP-RUSS）。我们重点关注自动化第一阶段，即引导超声探头在较长距离内向目标定向移动。具体而言，APP-RUSS系统采用RealSense D405 RGB-D摄像头对UR5e机械臂进行视觉引导，并定制了三次贝塞尔曲线路径规划模型以将探头递送至识别目标。APP-RUSS有助于理解机器人超声成像中两个路径规划阶段的融合，为其临床推广应用奠定基础。