Force sensor attachable to thin fiberscopes/endoscopes utilizing high elasticity fabric

Area of Science:

• Medical Devices
• Biomedical Engineering
• Surgical Instrumentation

Background:

• Endoscopes/fiberscopes provide visual data but lack tactile feedback, limiting diagnostic capabilities for hard-to-recognize indurated tissues.
• Acquiring force information from deep within the body using current endoscopic tools is challenging.
• Integrating force feedback would significantly improve the detection of subtle tissue abnormalities during minimally invasive procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, compact, and cost-effective force sensing system for thin endoscopes/fiberscopes.
• To enable the acquisition of force feedback information from tissues in challenging anatomical locations.
• To enhance the diagnostic capabilities of endoscopic procedures through tactile sensing.

Main Methods:

• A force visualization-based system was designed using a highly elastic material (panty stocking fabric) for miniaturization, high resolution, and ease of sterilization.
• A methodology was developed to derive force values from captured images of the elastic material's deformation.
• The system was integrated with a thin fiberscope/endoscope for practical application.

Main Results:

• The developed force sensing system achieved a resolution of less than 0.01 N.
• The system demonstrated high sensitivity, exceeding 600 pixels/N within the 0-0.2 N force range.
• The force visualization technique successfully translated material deformation into quantifiable force measurements.

Conclusions:

• The novel force sensing system offers a promising solution for adding tactile feedback to endoscopic procedures.
• The use of readily available, elastic material makes the system low-cost, sterilizable, and suitable for thin endoscopes.
• This technology has the potential to improve the accuracy and safety of minimally invasive diagnostics and interventions.