Multi-sensor schemes for controlling devices in clinical applications

Reports on automated sensing techniques that have been developed for two automated tool systems for clinical applications. The examples described are for controlling tool penetration through and on the surface of tissue interfaces, in the form of a micro-drill and a steerable endoscope tip, respectively. As a result of interpreting multi-sensory data as information, it is possible to identify the state of the tool/tissue interaction and to judge critical states of processes. These solutions show that the integration of information technology can lead to reasonably simple designs.