Force sensing in medical robotics

Medical robotics is at a relatively early stage compared to industrial robotics, which has a long historical background dating back to the 1960s when the first computer controlled manipulators were installed [1]. It is apparent that the number of medical robots installed for practical uses today is much smaller than the number of industrial robots employed in manufacturing. However, after various recent achievements in medical robotic research, people have begun to recognise the distinctive advantages of using robots for medical purposes. The main reasons that have drawn much attention to robotic systems results from their capability in carrying out a variety of surgical and other medical tasks with high accuracy and repeatability, and their ability to provide surgeons with enhanced visual feedback. Owing to their capabilities and benefits in clinical areas, the research and deployment of robots for medical applications has increased considerably over the last decade. To date, there have been a number of robots used in complex medical interventions including neurosurgery, cardiac surgery, orthopaedic surgery, urological surgery, bariatric surgery, prosthetic implantation, and rehabilitation. Today, medical robotic technology has dramatically improved, resulting in an increase of medical robots on the market along with their applications in real clinical scenarios. In the future, it is expected that robots will play very important roles in modern medical diagnosis, surgery, rehabilitation, in vivo inspection and drug delivery.