Grasper-Needle Coordination in Robotic Laparoscopic Surgery: Potential Fields Approach

This paper proposes a Potential Fields-based approach for coordinating a laparoscopic needle holder and grasper to achieve autonomous suturing in robotic laparoscopic surgery. This method allows seamless transition to teleoperated control based on Virtual Fixtures. The study presents three stages of suture, and experiments conducted in a controlled surgical scenario test the feasibility of the proposed approach. The results indicate successful coordination between the needle holder and grasper, achieving a smooth and logical motion with minimal undesirable effects. The study also discusses challenges such as slow convergence towards attractive points and the need for accurate position determination, suggesting potential solutions and future research directions. Experiments demonstrate successful coordination between the tools, enabling smooth motion with minimal undesirable effects. The approach shows responsiveness and adaptability, promising enhanced autonomous robotic laparoscopy for various surgical tasks.