A Compact and Modular Laparoscopic Grasper With Tridirectional Force Measurement Capability

The introduction of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) into the operating room has led to significant advantages over conventional open surgery. Furthermore, the migration toward robot-assisted MIS over the past decade has provided additional advantages. However, the lack of haptic feedback in these tele-operated robotic surgical systems has inhibited the surgeon’s ability to diagnose tissue as healthy or unhealthy, thereby creating a need for force feedback in these systems. This paper presents the design and development of a compact and modular laparoscopic grasper with tridirectional force measurement capability for applications in robot-assisted MIS. The instrumented laparoscopic grasper is capable of measuring the normal grasping force, as well as the manipulation forces (horizontal and vertical) during grasping tasks. The grasper also has a modular design that allows for easy conversion between different surgical modalities, such as grasping, cutting, and dissecting. Preliminary tele-operative experiments with force feedback capability through a haptic feedback device for artificial tissue characterization as well as knot tightening experiments indicate the capability of this grasper.