Printing Strain Gauges on Intuitive Surgical da Vinci Robot End Effectors

Force feedback during robotic surgery is critical in order to minimize potential injury to the patient and decrease recovery time from surgical procedures. Here we describe the use of a novel strain gauge printing method to apply low profile, low cost sensors directly to the surface of da Vinci surgical robot end effectors (Intuitive Surgical, Inc.) to sense deflection and provide force feedback. This additive, vapor-deposition-based sensor fabrication method is used to deposit strain gauges directly onto the surfaces of the end effectors with minimal disruption to the device and without the need for adhesives or machining operations. Initial experiments characterize sensor performance and indicate the applicability of the proposed approach for force feedback during minimally invasive procedures.