Micromechatronics in surgery: haptic sensors and feedback systems in minimally invasive surgery, medical devices, and robotics

触觉通常指的是触摸反馈，其包括动觉（力）和皮肤（触觉）反馈。由于在手动微创手术（MIS）中不可能直接操纵和触诊组织，因此关于触觉组织特性的反馈信息大大减少。据报道，MIS中缺乏支撑襻反馈导致术中损伤。 在远程微创机器人辅助手术（MIRS）中，所有自然触觉反馈都被消除，因为外科医生不再直接操纵器械。 据外科医生和机器人研究人员报告，缺乏有效的触觉反馈是当前MIRS系统的主要限制。通过能够提供人工触觉反馈（ATF）的装置恢复外科医生的部分触觉是应用研究和开发的活跃领域。 目前提出的研究的主要目标是设计和制造创新的触觉传感器和反馈系统，以满足当前的MIS和MIRS的需要。本申请人在该领域中具有名称为“用于感测和柔性力和柔软度的系统”的专利（PCT专利号CA 2009/000529）。该专利大大扩展了现有技术。这里提出的研究计划将建立在申请人过去的经验和成功开发触觉传感和反馈系统，结合联合收割机全光学，微加工触觉传感技术与创新的物理触觉显示系统，这将解决严重的当前手术需要有效的操作MIS和微创机器人手术（MIRS）。 此外，研究成果也可以用于一般的机器人。例如，触觉或微触觉传感器可以放置在汽车，航空航天，制药和造纸工业以及食品和饮料加工中的机器人操纵器的手指上。此外，力和软反馈将在娱乐行业以及任何使用远程操纵或处理虚拟现实的行业中拥有巨大的市场。

Haptics generally refers to touch feedback, which includes Kinesthetic (force) and Cutaneous (tactile) feedback. Since direct manipulation and palpation of tissue is not possible in manual Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS), feedback information about tactile tissue properties is considerably diminished. The lack of haptics feedback in MIS has reportedly resulted in intraoperative injury. In teleoperated Minimally Invasive Robotic-assisted Surgery (MIRS), all natural haptics feedback is eliminated because the surgeon no longer manipulates the instrument directly. The lack of effective haptics feedback is reported by surgeons and robotics researchers alike to be a major limitation to current MIRS systems. Restoring part of the surgeon's sense of touch through devices capable of providing Artificial Tactile Feedback (ATF) is an active field of applied research and development. The primary objectives of the presently proposed research are to design and fabricate innovative tactile sensors and feedback systems that satisfy the current need of MIS and MIRS. The applicant has a patent in this area entitled: "Systems for Sensing and Displaying Force and Softness" (PCT patent no. CA2009/000529). The patent considerably expands the current technology. The research program proposed here will build upon the applicant's past experience and success in developing tactile sensing and feedback systems to combine fully-optical, micro-machined tactile sensing techniques with innovative physical tactile display systems, which will address serious current surgical needs for effective operations in MIS and Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery (MIRS). Moreover, the outcome of the research could also be used in general robotics. For example, tactile or microtactile sensors could be placed on the fingers of the robotic manipulators in the automotive, aerospace, pharmaceutical, and paper industries as well as in food and beverage processing. In addition, force and softness feedback would have a huge market in the entertainment industry as well as in any industries that use tele-manipulation or deal with virtual reality.