A Transparent Teleoperated Robotic Surgical System with Predictive Haptic Feedback and Force Modelling

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Surgical Technology
• Haptic Feedback

Background:

• Robotic minimally invasive surgery offers improved outcomes.
• Time delays in teleoperated systems challenge haptic feedback, impacting transparency and stability.

Purpose of the Study:

• Mitigate time delays in robotic surgery systems.
• Improve haptic feedback transparency and stability.

Main Methods:

• Implemented environment estimation and force prediction.
• Used an exponentially weighted recursive least squares (EWRLS) algorithm to estimate Kelvin-Voigt (KV) and Hunt-Crossley (HC) force models.
• Conducted palpation experiments with polyurethane foam during human-in-the-loop teleoperation.

Main Results:

• Reduced prediction Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) to 0.076 N with the HC model, significantly better than KV (0.356 N) and direct feedback (0.560 N).
• Demonstrated the HC model's suitability for accurate haptic feedback, especially with system delays.
• Showcased improved transparency in teleoperation through environment estimation and force prediction.

Conclusions:

• The proposed bilateral master-slave robotic system provides transparent and stable haptic feedback.
• This approach has potential for enhancing surgical robotics procedures.