Developed at New York University (NYU)’s Abu Dhabi’s Advanced Microfluidics and Microdevices Laboratory (AMMLab), the ‘off-the-jaw’ system integrates force and angle sensors into the handle of laparoscopic tools, providing surgeons with real-time measurements of grasping forces and insights into tissue stiffness and thickness. Their findings are detailed in IEEE Access.
Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) involves small incisions, reducing pain, shortening recovery times, and lowering infection risks. However, traditional MIS tools remove the surgeon’s sense of touch, making it difficult to determine the appropriate force to apply or distinguish between different types of tissue. This lack of tactile sensation can lead to errors, such as over- or under-grasping delicate tissues.
The NYU Abu Dhabi researchers’ off-the-jaw design is said to mark a ‘significant departure’ from previous approaches, which typically placed sensors at the jaws of surgical tools. It is the first solution to separate the sensing mechanism from the surgical site itself.
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This solution offers a simplified, cost-effective alternative that integrates with any commercially available laparoscopic tool, addressing challenges related to sensor integration, wiring complexity, contamination, and sterilisation requirements.
Beyond improving surgical precision and safety, this new technology could also shorten training for new surgeons by providing objective tactile feedback. Its scalability means it could be adapted for robotic-assisted surgery, endoscopy, telemedicine, and other medical applications.
In a statement, Mohammad A. Qasaimeh, NYU Abu Dhabi associate professor of Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, said: "Minimally invasive surgery has revolutionised the field, but the lack of tactile feedback remains a challenge.
“Our new system restores this missing sense of touch, giving surgeons real-time data on tissue stiffness and thickness. This 'off-the-jaw' approach not only eliminates contamination risks but also makes the technology easier to integrate without requiring complex modifications to existing surgical tools."
"Early trials have demonstrated a 30 per cent improvement in surgical task efficiency, highlighting the practical impact of this technology on surgical performance," said Wael Othman, Ph.D., postdoctoral researcher at the AMMLab. "Looking ahead, we plan to refine this system for robotic-assisted surgeries and explore even more sensitive microfluidic-based sensors for enhanced tissue differentiation."
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