Figure 1: Bench-top set-up to measure forces acting on
an ablation catheter.
Panel A shows a schematic drawing of the setup. The platform is
suspended in a heated saline bath. The force applied by the catheter to
the platform is redirected by two low-friction pulleys and measured by
the scale, which is placed outside the water bath. Panel B shows the
implementation with a water tank and heating, the measurement platform
and the catheter fixation mechanism, the low friction pulleys, and the
scale. Panel C shows a close-up view of the platform and the catheter
fixation mechanism. The clamp can hold the catheter at different angles
and is displaceable in the vertical axis to adjust the force applied to
the platform.