Haptic Interaction Toolkit for Robotic Surgery

Zeynep Akbal (), Igor M. Sauer (), Anna Yadygina (), Christopher Remde (), Julia Blumenthal () and Moritz Queisner ()
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Zeynep Akbal: Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery
Igor M. Sauer: Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery
Anna Yadygina: Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Cluster of Excellence «Matters of Activity. Image Space Material»
Christopher Remde: Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery
Julia Blumenthal: Humboldt Universität zu Berlin, Cluster of Excellence «Matters of Activity. Image Space Material»
Moritz Queisner: Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Department of Surgery, Experimental Surgery

A chapter in XR and Metaverse, 2026, pp 435-447 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract Robotic-assisted surgery (RAS) transforms traditional surgical practice by mediating the surgeon’s actions through visual interfaces, significantly altering sensory experiences, particularly through the loss of direct haptic feedback. This paper presents the Haptic Interaction Toolkit, a Virtual Reality (VR)-enhanced physical robotic surgery console designed to investigate and prototype new modes of haptic interaction in digitally mediated surgical environments. Drawing on insights from expert interviews, the toolkit offers two experimental scenarios, “Detecting Tissue Stiffness” and “Protecting Critical Structures,” to examine how tactile cues can support surgical precision, embodiment, and spatial awareness. The research emphasizes the conceptual challenges of integrating haptic perception into VR simulations and highlights the need for human-centered frameworks that prioritize sensory feedback as a critical component of surgical decision-making. By advancing a multisensory, embodied approach to human–robot interaction, the toolkit aims to inform the design of next-generation surgical systems and contribute to safer, more intuitive practices in digital surgery.

Keywords: Haptic feedback; Robotic-assisted surgery; Virtual reality; Mixed reality; Sense of touch; Multi-sensory integration; Haptic interaction (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:prbchp:978-3-032-11983-4_32

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-032-11983-4_32

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