Design and Preliminary Evaluation of a Hand-Held Surgical Robot for Enhanced Intuitive Control in Laparoscopy.

BACKGROUND

Surgical robots offer improved precision and stability for laparoscopy; nevertheless, their limited portability and high cost impede broader clinical applications.

METHODS

This paper proposes a hand-held surgical robot with an ergonomic handle and isomorphic kinematics to enhance intuitive operability and portability. A preliminary evaluation was conducted through simulated suture tasks, assessing operation time, precision, muscle activity, and cognitive load.

RESULTS

Compared to conventional instruments, the hand-held robot enabled novices (n = 8) to suture significantly faster (p = 0.036) with reduced cognitive demand, while showing a non-significant trend towards higher precision (p = 0.206). For surgeons (n = 3), performance and ergonomics were similar between the two instruments. Notably, muscle fatigue did not significantly increase when using the robot.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed hand-held surgical robot provides a feasible, intuitive, and convenient solution for minimally invasive surgery (MIS), particularly beneficial for less experienced operators.