Implementation of Force Feedback in Robotic Surgical Systems
C. J Arabind1, D. Kathirvelu21Biomedical Engineering department, SRM University, Katankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India. 2Biomedical Engineering department, SRM University, Katankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India
Abstract: Touch is an effortless sense that is critically important for fast and accurate interaction with our immediate surroundings. Surgeons, for procedures like palpating tissue to distinguish healthy from diseased, rely heavily on touch. In minimally invasive surgery, including robotic procedures, and remote surgery, Touch sensation is altered or completely absent. It has been observed that restoring or improving the haptic perception could have a substantial impact on the effectiveness of minimal invasive interventions. Despite persistent effort, reliable solutions for haptic feedback in robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery have yet to find their way into practice. This paper presents the development of a robotic arm, equipped with force sensors at the gripper surfaces, as well as an LVDT displacement-based sensor for tissue stiffness identification by indentation method. The proposed project provides the user with a “feel” of the tissue as well as the amount of force applied to the tissue, Thus achieving a much more precise delivery of force and an understanding of the tissue stiffness being dealt leading to a reduction in the tissue damage due to excess force, complications like internal bleeding and trauma while suturing.
Keywords: Robotic surgery; Haptic; Force feedback; Tactile; Minimally invasive surgery Back to TOC