Patent ID: 9592093
Date: 2017-03-14
CPC Classifications: A61B,H05K,Y10S

Claim:
1. A system for conducting robotic surgery on tissue, comprising: a surgical instrument, wherein said surgical instrument includes a housing and a surface adapted to interface with said tissue, wherein said surface includes a sensor array comprising: a plurality of pressure sensors, wherein said plurality of pressure sensors are arranged in an array, wherein said pressure sensors are surrounded by an elastomeric substance; and a printed circuit board, wherein said pressure sensors are operably connected to said printed circuit board, wherein said housing includes said plurality of pressure sensors, said elastomeric substance, and said printed circuit board, wherein said plurality of pressure sensors is adapted to sense forces exerted by said surgical instrument on said tissue; and a manipulation interface, wherein said manipulation interface is operably connected to said surgical instrument and is adapted to represent said forces such that a user employing said manipulation interface is able to sense said forces exerted by said surgical instrument on said tissue; wherein the manipulation interface includes a user-engagement member that is manually moveable by a user, wherein movement of the user-engagement member causes corresponding displacement of the surface adapted to interface with said tissue, and further wherein the user-engagement member is configured to lock in place when the plurality of pressure sensors sense a force of the tissue pressing against the surface adapted to interface with the tissue.