title: Force-Sensing Silicone Retractor for Attachment to Surgical Suction Pipes.
abstract: This paper presents a novel force-sensing silicone retractor that can be attached to a surgical suction pipe to improve the usability of the suction and retraction functions during neurosurgery. The retractor enables simultaneous utilization of three functions: suction, retraction, and retraction-force sensing. The retractor also reduces the number of tool changes and ensures safe retraction through visualization of the magnitude of the retraction force. The proposed force-sensing system is based on a force visualization mechanism through which the force is displayed in the form of motion of a colored pole. This enables surgeons to estimate the retraction force. When a fiberscope or camera is present, the retractor enables measurement of the retraction force with a resolution of 0.05 N. The retractor has advantages of being disposable, inexpensive, and easy to sterilize or disinfect. Finite element analysis and experiments demonstrate the validity of the proposed force-sensing system.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 9201192, Japan. te-watanabe@ieee.org.
authors.forename: Tetsuyou
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Institute of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 9201192, Japan. toshio83@stu.kanazawa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Toshio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.affiliation: Institute of Science and Engineering, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 9201192, Japan. yoneyama@se.kanazawa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoneyama
authors.affiliation: Faculuty of Medicine, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa 9200934, Japan. mnakada@med.kanazawa-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Mitsutoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nakada
keywords: force sensor; force visualization mechanism; retraction; suction