Comparison of Force Matching Performance in Conventional and Laparoscopic Force-Based Task

摘要

Laparoscopic instruments have limited haptics feedback. Hence, novices tend to exert excessive forcewhich leads to tissue trauma. In laparoscopic surgery, no external information is available on the magnitudeof excessive force. Therefore, novices should be trained to accurately perceive their own force output. Thisstudy analyzed the force perception of 18 novices in the absence of external information, by comparing theisometric force matching performance of index finger (i.e. used in conventional procedures) in extendedarm posture with that of laparoscopic instrument in a force-based probing task. The study also examinedthe effect of handedness on force perception. A contra-lateral force matching paradigm was employed toanalyze the matching performance of the novice subjects. Interestingly, matching error was found to belower for laparoscopic instrument. An effect of handedness was visible for laparoscopic instrument only.The dominant hand overestimated the forces of non-dominant hand. The results can be used as aperformance metric to evaluate the force perception of novices in laparoscopic force skills-training tasks.