The Future of Surgery: Integrating Force Feedback Technology By Ashwinram Suresh

In recent years, robotic surgery has transformed the medical field, bringing significant advancements to minimally invasive procedures. However, over the years, some surgeons have missed the absence of tactile feedback, which surgeons often rely on to feel tissue resistance during operations. Conducting surgery without the tactile feedback can require significant adaptation, depending on the surgeon.

Intuitive's Force Feedback technology, developed over several years may help bridge this sensory gap in robotic surgery. This pivotal advancement may enhance surgical precision and help reduce the risk of damaging delicate structures, potentially improving patient outcomes. "Force feedback technology is an exciting development from Intuitive, and we believe it will bring value to surgery," says Ashwinram Suresh, a Principal Systems Analyst at Intuitive Surgical.

With more than a decade of experience in robotics and control engineering, Ashwinram has been instrumental in advancing this technology. His work exemplifies how human insight, and cutting-edge technology can converge to redefine the landscape of robotic-assisted surgeries.

The Journey Behind Force Feedback For Da Vinci 5

Developing force feedback technology for Intuitive's Da Vinci 5 robotic system was a decade-long effort for Ashwinram and the Intuitive team, filled with challenges and breakthroughs. One major hurdle was designing a durable force sensor to measure tip forces during surgery accurately. "I came up with a new sensor design that could measure accurate tip forces in the presence of mechanical and electrocautery disturbances," Ashwinram explains.

Another challenge was integrating these sensors into the robotic arms without affecting dexterity. Ashwinram worked with a cross-functional team and developed a novel controller design that would work equally well in soft tissues and hard bony structures. Collaboration with surgeons, extensive testing, and clinical trials ultimately led to technology that supports surgical precision and may help improve patient outcomes.

Breakthroughs That Shaped Force Feedback Tech

Initially, force feedback technology in robotic surgery relied on optical sensors, which were ideal due to their immunity to electrocautery disturbances. However, challenges with system architecture led to a critical shift to electrical sensing. Ashwinram explains, "This shift allowed us to address many of the workflow and usability issues we had been grappling with."

Another breakthrough was the development of a control algorithm that provided stable, intuitive feedback. "The novel design I developed supported greater performance and tactile feedback without compromising stability," says Ashwinram. These innovations and scalable sensors were crucial in bringing force feedback technology to life in the Da Vinci 5 robotic system.

A New Era In Surgical Precision

Force feedback allows surgeons to feel push-pull forces and tissue resistance which can complement visual cues and enable more precise movements. "We believe that the ability to feel the resistance of tissues will support more controlled and accurate movements," says Ashwinram. This could help reduce the risk of damaging delicate structures during minimally invasive surgeries. Beyond precision, force feedback may help surgeons apply less force, which could also help reduce tissue damage. There is also an expectation that having force feedback can help new robotic surgeons to acclimate easily.

What Sets Da Vinci 5 Apart

The Da Vinci 5 robot introduces a cutting-edge sensor design that measures forces directly at the tip of surgical instruments, helping support high accuracy and responsiveness. Ashwinram highlights that this innovation, combined with an advanced control algorithm, provides intuitive and stable force feedback to the users. The robotic force feedback is different from laparoscopic force feedback as it is not muddled by body wall forces or the insertion depth of the instrument.

The ability to measure forces during surgery adds an important data stream that we believe would offer valuable insights for surgeons and care teams. This could enable more avenues of constructive and objective review and feedback for newer surgeons from their mentors.

Beyond training, this data opens doors for academic research and interdisciplinary advancements, combining robotics, AI, and biomedical engineering. Ashwinram emphasizes that integrating AI with force feedback supports the potential for predictive analytics, which could drive even greater context awareness and improved patient outcomes.

Leading Surgical Innovation

Advancing force feedback technology in robotic surgery has been a valuable learning experience for Ashwinram, mainly through collaboration across robotics, biomedical engineering, and clinical practice. This teamwork has enhanced problem-solving, as Ashwinram notes, "The challenges we faced and overcame together have strengthened my problem-solving skills and resilience", underscoring the role of collective effort in innovation and bringing groundbreaking technology to the robotic surgical field.