| Title: |
Design and Validation of a Grasping Force Measuring Vibrotactile Feedback Add-On for Laparoscopic Instruments |
| Authors: |
Jan-Willem Klok; Yannick Smits; Roelf Postema; Aspor T. Steinporsson; Jenny Dankelman; Tim Horeman |
| Source: |
IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine, Vol 14, Pp 1-10 (2026) |
| Publisher Information: |
IEEE, 2026. |
| Publication Year: |
2026 |
| Collection: |
LCC:Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics; LCC:Medical technology |
| Subject Terms: |
Compliant mechanisms; grasping; haptic feedback; laparoscopic surgery; postoperative complication prevention.; Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics; R858-859.7; Medical technology; R855-855.5 |
| Description: |
Objective: Grasping force control is crucial for safe laparoscopic surgery. However, force feedback is limited as haptic information on grasping strength and tissue stiffness is mostly lost due to internal instrument backlash and friction. This increases tissue trauma risk as excessive grasping forces can lead to (postoperative) complications. This study aims to develop a grasping force feedback providing add-on for a laparoscopic grasper and to validate its impact on skills acquisition in basic laparoscopic skills training. Method: The ShaftFlex, a shaft-based grasping force measurement system providing feedback was designed as an add-on for standard reusable instruments. It consists of a compliant element deflecting proportionally to the applied grasping force, and a Hall sensor measuring that deflection. Influence on skills acquisition was evaluated in a comparative study where novices were divided into a Feedback and No feedback group, performing five training trials of a silicon torus transfer boxtrainer task. Afterwards, both groups performed a post-training task without feedback. Grasping force, time to completion and number of errors were measured. Results: There was a significant difference in mean grasping force between groups for all training trials and the post-training trial. In the Feedback group, there was no significant increase in grasping force when feedback was removed. Conclusion: The ShaftFlex working principle provided a feasible, sustainable method to measure grasping forces exerted by a laparoscopic grasper, enabling immediate haptic feedback. It potentially enhances objective skill assessment, providing feedback on training performance. In a clinical context, the ShaftFlex might be useful in surgery where delicate tissue is grasped. |
| Document Type: |
article |
| File Description: |
electronic resource |
| Language: |
English |
| ISSN: |
2168-2372 |
| Relation: |
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11271394/; https://doaj.org/toc/2168-2372 |
| DOI: |
10.1109/JTEHM.2025.3638856 |
| Access URL: |
https://doaj.org/article/6f67df47eca845f99ebb02027f7eedc2 |
| Accession Number: |
edsdoj.6f67df47eca845f99ebb02027f7eedc2 |
| Database: |
Directory of Open Access Journals |