Toward Hybrid Position/Force Control for an Active Handheld Micromanipulator

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Robotics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Vitreoretinal microsurgery demands extreme precision, with surgeons using micro-tools (≤0.9 mm diameter).
• Current methods rely on visual cues or forces above the tactile threshold, risking tissue damage due to lack of tactile feedback or excessive force application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement a hybrid position/force control system for handheld robotic vitreoretinal surgery.
• To operate within the sub-tactile force range to enhance surgical safety and precision.

Main Methods:

• Development and implementation of a novel hybrid position/force control algorithm.
• Integration into a handheld robotic system for vitreoretinal microsurgical tasks.
• Testing and evaluation during simulated peeling tasks.

Main Results:

• Achieved a 42% reduction in mean applied force during peeling tasks.
• Demonstrated a 52% reduction in maximum applied force compared to conventional methods.
• Enabled operation in the sub-tactile force range, enhancing safety.

Conclusions:

• Hybrid position/force control offers a promising approach to mitigate tissue damage in vitreoretinal microsurgery.
• This robotic system enhances surgeon capabilities by providing better control and reducing damaging forces.
• Further development could lead to safer and more effective intraocular surgical procedures.