Haptics and Vision Systems for Surgical Robots

Robotic surgery has in many ways enhanced the ability of surgeons to perform complex operations via a minimally invasive approach, benefitting both the patient and the surgeon. The goal of robotic surgery is to not only replicate the innate senses of the surgeon but also expand upon them as well. More so than any others, the senses of sight and touch are integral for the synthesis of information for application in decision-making during surgery. Accordingly, the focus on these facets of robotic surgical systems has allowed for rapid advances in the two decades since the advent of robotic surgery. While many of these advances have been relegated to small, experimental studies, the future of these technologies and their potential for further improvement of the field of surgery holds promise. As these advancements continue to mature, they have the potential to expand surgeon perception and attain more information not only from the patient but also potentially from global experts in real time during an operation.