Force sensitive smart laparoscope of ROBIN HEART surgical robot

Silicon based piezoresistive force sensors were designed and manufactured by bulk micromachining techniques. The device geometry was modelled by coupled finite element simulation (FEM) to determine its expected performance. Flexible electronics was designed to integrate the force sensors and the AD converters in the laparoscope grasper head. The electronics accomplishes the analogue-digital conversion and I2C data transfer. I2C - CAN BUS converter was also designed to communicate with the robot control system as well as for noise filtering, data collection and transfer. According to the proposed medical application and functional requirements the sensors were electro-mechanically integrated into a metal laparoscope grasper and covered with biocompatible elastic polymer. The developed "smart" laparoscope device was integrated into the ROBIN HEART surgery robot system. The analogue-digital conversion and the communication between the pre-processing electronics and the robot control system were verified by recording calibration functions. The assembled sensors were tested among different environmental parameters in a climate chamber to define further packaging rules. Preliminary tests were accomplished to evaluate the use of force and tactile signals of the integrated sensors during interventions. The information was successfully applied to provide haptic feedback for the operator by a specific controller. Tactile measurements were implemented on artificial and real animal tissues to prove the applicability of the device for biomechanical screening during MIS surgery.