Development of actuated and sensor integrated forceps for minimally invasive robotic surger

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Surgical Technology
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) presents challenges due to the spatial barrier created by the patient's skin, limiting surgeon dexterity and tactile sensation.
• Lack of direct access complicates procedures and reduces the surgeon's ability to accurately sense tissue manipulation forces.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate novel actuated and sensor-integrated instruments for the DLR minimally invasive robotic surgery (MIRS) setup.
• To overcome the limitations of traditional MIS by enabling enhanced manipulability and force feedback.

Main Methods:

• Development of instrument front-ends with integrated sensors for force-torque measurement.
• Implementation of a telepresence approach with additional degrees of freedom (DoF) for enhanced instrument control.
• Utilizing a man-machine interface for free Cartesian motion and kinesthetic feedback.

Main Results:

• Actuated and sensor-integrated instruments were developed as part of the DLR MIRS setup.
• The instruments facilitate precise measurement of interaction forces at the instrument's distal end.
• Kinaesthetic feedback was achieved, providing a virtual open surgery environment.

Conclusions:

• The developed instruments are crucial components of a telepresence working environment for MIS.
• These instruments are vital for enabling semi-autonomous functions, such as motion compensation, in robotic surgery.
• The advancements aim to significantly improve the capabilities and outcomes of minimally invasive procedures.