Advancing MIS with Cost-Effective, Scalable Tactile Sensing Technology

NYU Abu Dhabi's AMMLab has developed an innovative "off-the-jaw" sensing system that incorporates force and angle sensors into laparoscopic instrument handles. This system provides surgeons with real-time data on gripping forces, tissue thickness, and stiffness, enhancing the safety, accuracy, and usability of minimally invasive surgery (MIS).

MIS involves making small incisions, which reduces pain, speeds up healing, and lowers the risk of infection. However, traditional MIS equipment removes the surgeon's sense of touch, making it difficult to distinguish between tissue types or apply the appropriate force. This loss of tactile feedback can lead to errors, such as applying too much or too little force on delicate tissues.

In contrast to previous methods that typically place sensors near the jaws of surgical instruments, the "off-the-jaw" design developed by NYU Abu Dhabi researchers, as described in IEEE Access, represents a significant advancement. This is the first approach to decouple the surgical site from the sensing device. It addresses issues related to sensor integration, wiring complexity, contamination, and sterilization, offering a straightforward and cost-effective solution that is compatible with any commercially available laparoscopic instrument.

By providing objective tactile feedback, this novel device has the potential to help new surgeons quickly learn MIS techniques, improving safety and precision. Its versatility also allows for applications in telemedicine, endoscopy, robotic-assisted surgery, and other medical fields.

Minimally invasive surgery has revolutionized the field, but the lack of tactile feedback remains a challenge. Our new system restores this missing sense of touch, giving surgeons real-time data on tissue stiffness and thickness. This 'off-the-jaw' approach not only eliminates contamination risks but also makes the technology easier to integrate without requiring complex modifications to existing surgical tools.

Mohammad A. Qasaimeh, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering and Bioengineering, NYU Abu Dhabi 

“Early trials have demonstrated a 30 percent improvement in surgical task efficiency, highlighting the practical impact of this technology on surgical performance. Looking ahead, we plan to refine this system for robotic-assisted surgeries and explore even more sensitive microfluidic-based sensors for enhanced tissue differentiation,” added Wael Othman, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Researcher at the AMMLab.

Journal Reference:

Othman, W., et al. (2025) Stiffness Assessment and Lump Detection in Minimally Invasive Surgery Using In-House Developed Smart Laparoscopic Forceps. IEEE Journal of Translational Engineering in Health and Medicine. doi.org/10.1109/JTEHM.2022.3180937