Electrotactile Feedback based on the Measurement of the Strain to Navigate the Retraction of Tissue

Abstract

In neurosurgery, the retraction using the suction tube is one of the most difficult techniques according to the experience and the sensation. As the navigation for the retraction, the measurement of the retraction state and its feedback by using tactile display seems to be effective. This research aims at developing the small and simple feedback system which can tactually present the current state of retraction according to the desired retraction. Previous navigation systems measured the applied force to the object and presented the forces by a tactile display. On the other hand, the proposed system focuses on the energy of the retraction stored in the instrument and presents the energy by electrotactile display to establish the small and simple feedback system. In actual, we estimate the applied energy to the object based on the measurement of the strain of the instrument, and present overloaded energy by the electrical stimulus at the media of the index finger. The subjective evaluation was conducted by using a phantom material. The results indicated that users could keep the error of less than 10% between the desired and real retraction forces and completed the stable retraction.