•   New flexible sensors allow surgeons to estimate the actual amount of pressure applied during minimally invasive surgical procedures.
• The technology's flexible design allows it to be installed in multiple locations on the surface of surgical instruments, increasing accuracy and safety.

Abu Dhabi, UAE: Researchers at New York University Abu Dhabi have developed soft, flexible sensors that help surgeons regain their sense of touch during minimally invasive endoscopic surgeries, sometimes called "keyhole" surgery. This type of surgery allows for faster patient recovery and less pain, but surgeons lose the ability to judge pressure applied with long instruments, making it difficult to safely manipulate delicate tissues.

This study, published in the journal Microsystems and Nanoengineering, details the work of a team led by Dr. Mohammad Qasaimeh, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Bioengineering at NYU Abu Dhabi, in designing soft, multi-channel sensors with a wide range of pressures, from very light contact to strong grips, in real time. The sensors are fabricated using flexible silicon engineering with tiny channels filled with liquid metals. These channels slightly change shape under pressure, forming an electro-sensing system that allows for precise measurement of pressure forces.

To demonstrate the technology, the researchers mounted the sensors on a long forceps used in laparoscopic surgery. One sensor was placed on the handle to measure the pressure of the surgeon's grip, while another was placed on the jaw of the instrument to measure the interaction with the tissue.

Dr. Mohammed Qasaimeh, Associate Professor of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering at NYU Abu Dhabi and lead author of the study, said: “Minimally invasive surgery is beneficial for patients, but surgeons lack an important sense. In this project, we developed ultra-fine, soft sensors that can detect pressure over a wide range and can be easily integrated with existing instruments, bringing us closer to smarter and safer surgical tools.”

Dr. Wael Osman, the study's first author and an assistant professor at Khalifa University, said: "Our goal was to create sensitive and practical sensors for real surgical environments. This design allows us to measure both mild and strong pressure with the same small device, and to place the sensors in the most useful locations on surgical instruments."

The study also demonstrates how sensor design can be modified, in terms of size, design, and materials, for different applications. Sensors can be placed on the surgical instrument handle, contributing to a simpler and easier-to-sterilize instrument, or they can be placed directly on the jaw in situations requiring highly precise pressure.

Besides surgery, this technology can be used in robots, wearable devices, and other systems that require precise sensing of pressure force.

This study was conducted with the support of the Research Institute at New York University Abu Dhabi.

New York University Abu Dhabi:

New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) boasts the first comprehensive liberal arts and sciences campus in the Middle East operated by a leading American research university. Ranked among the top 31 universities in the world by Times Higher Education, NYUAD is the highest-ranked university in the United Arab Emirates and the MENA region. NYUAD integrates a highly selective, cross-disciplinary curriculum with a world-class center for advanced research and academic studies. The university empowers its students in the sciences, engineering, social sciences, humanities, and arts to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world and to foster collaboration and progress in addressing humanity’s shared challenges. NYUAD’s high-achieving students come from more than 120 countries and speak over 100 languages. NYUAD’s campuses in New York, Abu Dhabi, and Shanghai together form the backbone of a unique global university, offering faculty and students opportunities to experience diverse learning environments and immerse themselves in other cultures at one or more of NYUAD’s many study abroad locations across six continents.

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