Evaluation of a two cursor control device for development of a powered laparoscopic surgical tool

The current study was performed to test two electronic cursor control devices (a Touchpad and a MicroJoystick) for use in an articulating powered laparoscopic tool. A simple target acquisition test was conducted to test how well the cursor control devices could be manipulated and how accurate they were (including endpoint and movement path). The study varied the width (0.27, 0.54 and 1.07 cm) of the target as well as the hand position used (thumb and index finger control). Additionally, each participant was able to choose their ideal operating cursor speed for each cursor control device. The MicroJoystick had a higher throughput and movement variability than the Touchpad. In all other categories tested, the cursor control devices did not differ significantly. The speed of the cursor control devices did not affect the performance of the devices; therefore, the ideal cursor speed could be chosen by the participant. Finally, the hand position did not affect the performance of the devices. This experiment found both hand positions, cursor control devices and all speeds could be used to effectively manipulate an articulating end-effector in a powered, cauterising, laparoscopic tool. This article addresses the advantages and limitations of two control mechanisms for laparoscopic tool controls considering both the subjective and objective data. The controls are tested in two hand positions to test how well the participants can manipulate the device while minimising perceived fatigue.