title: A new system for evaluation of armrest use in robotic surgery and validation of a new ergonomic concept - armrest load.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The da Vinci robot provides a sitting position and an armrest to decrease workload and increase dexterity. We investigated the surgeon's ergonomic behaviour by installing force sensors on the dV-Trainer® simulator's armrest to measure the 'armrest load' during the performance of simulated exercises.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five experts and 48 novices performed two robotic simulation exercises on the dV-Trainer. We calculated the armrest load and evaluated their armrest-using habits. Overall score and workspace range were evaluated automatically by the simulator and compared with armrest load.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Statistically significant differences exist for overall score, workspace range and armrest load between novices and experts.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The armrest load score is a direct, sensitive measure for the ergonomic evaluation of a simulator's armrest use. This experience-dependent ergonomic difference between experts and novices (p = 0.007) highlights the importance of ergonomic training for novice robot users. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
authors.affiliation: IADI/Inserm U947, Lorraine University, Nancy, France.|Wuhan University, Department of Urology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan, People's Republic of China.|Department of Urology, CHU Nancy, France.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: IADI/Inserm U947, Lorraine University, Nancy, France.|Department of Emergency and General Surgery, CHU Nancy, France.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.affiliation: IADI/Inserm U947, Lorraine University, Nancy, France.|Department of Emergency and General Surgery, CHU Nancy, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perrenot
authors.affiliation: IADI/Inserm U947, Lorraine University, Nancy, France.|Department of Urology, CHU Nancy, France.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hubert
authors.affiliation: IADI/Inserm U947, Lorraine University, Nancy, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Felblinger
authors.affiliation: IADI/Inserm U947, Lorraine University, Nancy, France.|Department of Urology, CHU Nancy, France.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hubert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004867:Equipment Design; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009726:Nurses; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D065287:Robotic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D066231:Surgeons; D014584:User-Computer Interface
keywords: armrest load; dV-trainer; ergonomics; force sensor; robotic simulator; robotic surgery