Design concept validation of a self- assembled MEMS force sensor for minimally invasive surgery.

Abstract

The increasing innovation and miniaturization of technology in the last few decades have improved the life style and welfare of the human being. The introduction of technology into health sciences and medical equipment industry provides widely advantages in the fields of medical diagnosis, minimally invasive surgery equipment and recovery of the patient. Even though health care is one of the areas with increasing application of new technologies, there are still areas for innovation in order to provide better tools to surgeons and minimize the time spend into recovery after a surgical intervention. Minimally invasive surgery is a "newly‟ surgical intervention technique denoted by the small incisions by which the surgical tools, such as endoscope, grasp, scalpel, etc, are introduced into a patient‟s body looking forward to produce the fewer traumas due to the surgical procedure. The technique was first developed in the late 70's where a hand assisted surgical procedure due by two or three surgeons would take place in the operating room. Once the miniaturization and innovation of sensors and robotics advanced, the hand assisted technique evolved into a robotic assisted technique which was first presented by Intuitive Surgical in the 90‟s with the design of the Da Vinci Surgical Robot.