Task evaluations of a compact laparoscopic surgical robot system

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has become an important technique in practical surgical procedures. Compared with manually operated MIS procedures, surgical robot systems provide more accuracy, enhance dexterity, and make more difficult surgical procedures feasible. In this paper, a prototype teleoperated robotic surgical system which is modular, compact and easy to use is tested with human operators. Two evaluation tasks were performed by participants using manual MIS instruments and this teleoperated robotic surgical system. The task data were analyzed and compared between the manual and robot instrument operation. The results show that compared with typical manual instrument operation, the teleoperated robotic system in this paper has advantages in ease of use, decreased task time, and better accuracy with smooth motions and less tremor.