Variable Stiffness & Dynamic Force Sensor for Tissue Palpation

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel variable stiffness and dynamic force sensor designed for tissue palpation in minimally invasive surgery, utilizing light reflection to measure deformation and force, with promising experimental results.

Contribution

It presents a new sensor that adjusts stiffness and force range based on pressure, improving tissue palpation capabilities in minimally invasive procedures.

Findings

Force calibration RMSEs of 0.016, 0.0715, and 0.1284 N at different pressures

Sensor stiffness and force range increase with applied pressure

Potential to enhance tissue palpation during minimally invasive surgery

Abstract

Palpation of human tissue during Minimally Invasive Surgery is hampered due to restricted access. In this extended abstract, we present a variable stiffness and dynamic force range sensor that has the potential to address this challenge. The sensor utilises light reflection to estimate sensor deformation, and from this, the force applied. Experimental testing at different pressures (0, 0.5 and 1 PSI) shows that stiffness and force range increases with pressure. The force calibration results when compared with measured forces produced an average RMSE of 0.016, 0.0715 and 0.1284 N respectively, for these pressures.