Design and characterization of a fiber bragg grating-based force sensor for tissue palpation in minimally invasive surgery
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发表刊物：IEEE Sensors Journal
摘要：Force feedback plays a critical role in enhancing the safety and effectiveness of robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery (MIS), yet most current surgical robotic platforms lack integrated, high-fidelity force-sensing capabilities. This study presents the design, optimization, and experimental validation of a compact fiber Bragg grating (FBG)-based force sensor specifically developed for soft tissue palpation in MIS applications. The force-sensing flexure for the sensor was composed of four inclined beams and four helical beams, achieving high sensitivity and robustness within the geometric constraints of minimally invasive instruments. Finite element analysis (FEA) and response surface methodology (RSM) were used to establish the relationship between structural parameters and sensing performance, enabling multiobjective optimization of the design. The optimized sensor was fabricated and subjected to comprehensive calibration and characterization under static and dynamic loading conditions, demonstrating a sensitivity of 258.86 pm/N (corresponding to a resolution of 3.86 mN), a linearity of 3.14% across a working range of 0–10 N, and stable dynamic performance up to 1060 Hz. Finally, ex vivo tissue palpation experiments were conducted using porcine liver to evaluate the sensor’s practical performance, confirming its ability to accurately detect tissue stiffness variations with simulated lesions at various depths. These results highlight the potential of the proposed FBG-based force sensor to enhance tactile perception in robotic MIS, thereby improving surgical precision and patient outcomes.
论文类型：期刊论文
是否译文：否
发表时间：2025-10-20
收录刊物：SCI