In recent years, robotic surgery has revolutionised the medical field, significantly advancing minimally invasive procedures. However, the absence of tactile feedback, which surgeons rely on to feel tissue resistance during operations, has posed a challenge.
Conducting surgery without this feedback requires significant adaptation from surgeons. Ashwinram Suresh, a Principal Systems Analyst at Intuitive Surgical, has been at the forefront of a groundbreaking technological breakthrough: force feedback technology. Developed over several years, this innovation aims to bridge the sensory gap in robotic surgery, enhancing surgical precision and reducing the risk of damaging delicate structures, thereby improving patient outcomes.
Ashwinram Suresh, a veteran robotics engineer with more than a decade of experience in surgical robotics, has established himself as a domain expert in force feedback technology. Looking at his impressive educational background and past achievements, it is no surprise that he has risen to the top of his field. Ashwinram graduated in Electrical Engineering from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology Madras, one of the most competitive universities globally, with an acceptance rate of less than 0.5%.
During his undergraduate years, he won several national robotics competitions and represented India internationally at the “Abu Robocon” Robot Contest. He further pursued his passion for robotics with a graduate degree from the highly esteemed Robotics Institute at Carnegie Mellon University, USA, where he graduated at the top of his class.
Driven by a deep-seated goal to make a societal impact, Ashwinram was thrilled to join Intuitive Surgical, the industry leader in medical robotics. His contributions span several product lines, including the da Vinci Simulator, da Vinci Xi, da Vinci 5, and the revolutionary force feedback technology, which have positively impacted millions of patients’ lives globally.
This success saw him quickly ascend the ranks to become a Principal Engineer. Ashwinram holds eight patents in haptics and force feedback, with several more pending, and has been recognised as the “Inventor of the Year” for his outstanding contributions to technology. Achieving force feedback technology in robotic surgery has been a multi-decade challenge, and Ashwinram ‘s key innovations, insights and cutting-edge technology have coalesced to redefine the landscape of robotic-assisted surgeries.
Breakthroughs That Shaped Force Feedback Tech
Achieving force feedback technology for surgical robots has been a monumental challenge, necessitating several groundbreaking innovations. This decade-long endeavour by Ashwinram and the Intuitive team, marked by formidable challenges and remarkable breakthroughs, has finally made this technology a reality.
A pivotal component of this technology is the force sensor, which must be compact and durable to measure tip forces during surgery accurately. “I developed a new sensor design capable of measuring precise tip forces even amidst mechanical and electrocautery disturbances,” Ashwinram explains. His innovative force sensor design is highly accurate, robust, easy to use, and cost-effective to produce. Ashwinram’s design enabled the sensor to be miniaturised, allowing for seamless integration into the instrument tips without compromising their dexterity.
One of the fundamental challenges in force feedback technology is providing both stable and high-fidelity force feedback across all environments. Ashwinram tackled this by developing a novel controller design that diverges from traditional approaches, ensuring optimal performance in soft tissues and complex bony structures. Through collaboration with surgeons and extensive engineering and clinical testing, he fine-tuned this controller to overcome the challenge.
Safety is paramount in any medical device, and Ashwinram has developed several key design features and algorithms to ensure the safety of this technology. These innovations and scalable sensors were crucial in bringing force feedback technology to life in the da Vinci 5 robotic system.
A New Era In Surgical Precision
Force feedback allows surgeons to feel push-pull forces and tissue resistance, complementing visual cues and enabling more precise movements. “We believe that the ability to feel the resistance of tissues will support more controlled and accurate movements,” says Ashwinram.
This could reduce the risk of damaging delicate structures during minimally invasive surgeries. Beyond precision, force feedback may help surgeons apply less force, which could also help reduce tissue damage. There is also an expectation that having forced feedback can help new robotic surgeons to acclimate quickly.
What Differentiates Da Vinci 5
The Da Vinci 5 robot introduces a cutting-edge sensor design that measures forces directly at the tip of surgical instruments, helping support high accuracy and responsiveness. Ashwinram highlights that his innovation in force sensor design, combined with an advanced control algorithm, provides intuitive and stable force feedback to users. Robotic force feedback is different from laparoscopic force feedback as it is not muddled by body wall forces or the insertion depth of the instrument.
The ability to measure forces during surgery adds a vital data stream that could potentially offer valuable insights for surgeons and care teams. This could enable more avenues of constructive and objective review and feedback for newer surgeons from their mentors.
Beyond training, this data opens doors for academic research and interdisciplinary advancements, combining robotics, AI, and biomedical engineering. Ashwinram emphasises that integrating AI with force feedback supports the potential for predictive analytics, which could drive even greater context awareness and improved patient outcomes.
Leading Surgical Innovation
Advancing force feedback technology in robotic surgery has been an invaluable learning experience for Ashwinram, who has worked alongside multidisciplinary teams in robotics, biomedical engineering, and clinical practice. This collaborative environment has honed his technical skills and deepened his appreciation for the synergy that drives innovation.
Ashwinram firmly believes that force feedback technology holds immense potential to enhance the precision and effectiveness of robotic surgeries, making procedures safer and more efficient. He is excited to be one of the driving forces that will continue to evolve this transformative technology, pushing the boundaries of what is possible in surgical interventions.
Beyond the realm of force feedback, Ashwinram acknowledges the numerous challenges and opportunities that remain in robotic surgery, particularly with the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
These technologies promise to revolutionise how surgeries are performed, offering unprecedented accuracy and adaptability. Ashwinram is eager to apply his first-principles approach, challenge existing norms, and bring innovative and creative ideas. His vision is to integrate these cutting-edge technologies seamlessly into surgical practices, enhancing patient outcomes and setting new standards in medical care.
Ashwinram’s unwavering drive and commitment to excellence are poised to yield many more revolutionary breakthroughs in robotic surgery. His dedication to pushing the envelope ensures that he will continue to make significant contributions, positively impacting millions of patients globally.
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