Dynamic Force Sensing for Continuous Scraping Towards Endometrium Repair Surgery

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Biomedical Engineering
• Gynecological Surgery

Background:

• Surgical robots with force feedback enhance precision and safety in endometrial repair.
• Designing force sensors for surgical robots is difficult due to anatomical constraints and continuous rotation requirements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a novel force-sensing surgical instrument for endometrial repair.
• To enable real-time measurement of forces during robotic endometrial repair procedures.

Main Methods:

• Developed a force-sensing surgical instrument comprising an inner scraping tool and an outer sheath.
• Utilized the actuation force of the outer flexible sheath to predict tangential and normal forces applied to the endometrium.
• Conducted experiments to validate the force sensing accuracy.

Main Results:

• Simulated three operational scenarios with varying tangential force thresholds.
• Quantified the mean error and standard deviation for the force sensing accuracy.

Conclusions:

• The developed sensing method allows for real-time and accurate measurement of dynamic scraping forces.
• This technology can enhance the safety and effectiveness of robotic endometrial repair.