PALPABLE

PALPABLE introduces a new generation of MIS (Minimally Invasive Surgery) tools: a novel tactile sensing probe as a palpation tool for identification and visualization of tissue abnormalities. MIS has several advantages (reduced tissue damage, postoperative analgesic requirements & blood loss, decreased hospitalization time, better cosmetic results), but there is a limited or nonvisual, haptic, and tactile feedback. These issues can lead to accidental tissue damage. The PALPABLE probe incorporates multiple sensing modalities and a thin, flexible, pneumatically actuated end-effector with distributed sensors for distributed tactile sensing.