Patent ID: 7963976

Claim:
A method for remote surgical manipulation of tissue within a body cavity while maintaining a kinesthetic relationship with the tissue, said method comprising: inserting a probe within said body cavity, where said probe includes an elongated section, and an actuator coupled to at least one segmented digit similar to a human finger by a plurality of link members where a proximal end of said link members are affixed to said actuator, where said segmented digit is configured to move as said actuator pivots relative to said probe and said actuator is coupled to said elongated section by a pivot such that said actuator is limited to move in alignment with an axis of said elongated section; and moving the actuator to remotely actuate said digit to manipulate said tissue within said body cavity, where said segmented digit moves through a range of motion substantially similar to a range of motion of an operator's finger as the operator's finger pivots said actuator in alignment with said axis of said elongated section and where movement of said actuator in a proximal direction causes a first link member to be placed in tension while a second link member is released from tension such that a surgeon maintains the kinesthetic relationship via said actuator from the link member in tension.