Haptic Feedback Sheath for Minimally Invasive Surgical Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Minimally invasive surgery faces challenges due to limitations in visual and haptic perceptions, which can lead to potential tissue damage from inappropriate force usage during procedures.
Innovation Solution
The development of minimally invasive surgical tools with haptic feedback systems, including an insertion sheath with rollers and actuators that provide tactile feedback to surgeons, allowing for accurate manipulation and resistance control of surgical tools within the body.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive surgical tools are used, then patient trauma and hospitalization time are reduced, but visual and haptic perception capabilities are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements haptic feedback mechanisms that provide tactile information to the surgeon during minimally invasive procedures. Sensors detect forces applied to surgical tools and convert them into tactile feedback signals, allowing surgeons to perceive tissue resistance and structural properties despite the limitations of minimally invasive access. This resolves the contradiction by recovering lost haptic information while maintaining the benefits of reduced patient trauma.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces haptic feedback devices as intermediary components between the surgical tool and the surgeon. These devices include force sensors, actuators, and tactile display elements that mediate the transmission of force information from the surgical site to the surgeon's hands, enabling indirect tactile perception during minimally invasive procedures.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If minimally invasive surgical tools are used, then incision size and scarring are reduced, but tissue damage risk increases due to inappropriate force usage
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic feedback system provides real-time tactile information about tissue resistance and force application to the surgeon. This feedback loop enables the surgeon to sense when excessive force is being applied and adjust accordingly, preventing tissue damage while maintaining the advantages of small incisions characteristic of minimally invasive surgery.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides preemptive haptic warnings when force thresholds are approached, allowing the surgeon to adjust force application before tissue damage occurs. The feedback mechanism acts as a protective cushion by alerting the surgeon to potentially harmful force levels before actual tissue injury happens.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances the surgeon's ability to perform procedures with improved tactile sensations and resistance control, reducing the risk of tissue damage and improving precision during minimally invasive surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
an actuator coupled to the roller, the actuator configured to receive an actuator signal and to output a haptic effect based on the actuator signal
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods for minimally invasive surgical tools with haptic feedback are disclosed. One disclosed embodiment of a system includes an insertion sheath configured to be partially inserted within a patient's body, the insertion sheath configured to receive a surgical tool; a roller disposed at least partially within the insertion sheath, the roller configured to contact a surgical tool inserted within the insertion sheath; and an actuator coupled to the roller, the actuator configured to receive an actuator signal and to output a haptic effect based on the actuator signal.