Instrument Monitoring and Feedback

When directly driven tools are used in minimally invasive surgery, the natural feedback channel of direct force coupling between the surgeons hand and the tool tip is lost. In addition, the lack of direct vision to the location of the intervention, complicates the surgical work even further.

In collaboration with  Research Area 3 (Sensors), we work on substitution of lost senses by technical means. By giving haptic feedback via a hand grip or offering tactile information from a surgical caliper, the work flow and decision loop for the surgical actions can be closed again.