Auditory force feedback substitution improves surgical precision during simulated ophthalmic surgery.

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmic surgery simulation
• Surgical robotics and haptics

Background:

• Ophthalmic peeling procedures require precise force control.
• Current methods lack direct tactile force feedback for surgeons.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of auditory force feedback (AFF) in improving simulated ophthalmic peeling performance.
• To assess the impact of AFF on force application and surgical precision.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a force-sensing microforceps with two AFF modes (alarm and proportional beeping).
• Participants performed simulated peeling tasks with and without AFF, with varying experience levels.
• Assessed performance based on force generated, standard deviation of forces, and time/magnitude of exceeding force thresholds.

Main Results:

• AFF significantly reduced average force, force variability, and excessive force application during peeling (P < 0.01).
• Short AFF training sessions improved subsequent peeling performance even without feedback (P < 0.001).
• Peeling with AFF demonstrated superior force parameter reduction compared to non-AFF peeling post-training (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:

• Auditory force feedback enhances precision and reduces applied forces in simulated ophthalmic membrane peeling.
• AFF, integrated with force-sensing tools, holds potential for improving surgical training and performance across experience levels.