• Haptic Interaction Toolkit for Robotic-Assisted Surgery
Cutting | Filtering | Robotics | Haptics | XR

Haptic Interaction Toolkit for Robotic-Assisted Surgery

Detecting tissue stiffness in virtual reality with haptic devices, Copyright: Matters of Activity

Console detail, Matters of Activity stamps for lock points, photo: Michelle Mantel, 2024. Copyright: Matters of Activity

Interaction with haptic devices, photo: Michelle Mantel, 2024. Copyright: Matters of Activity

Console setup, a pair of haptic devices and a physical liver placed at the middle for mixed reality interaction, photo: Michelle Mantel, 2024. Copyright: Matters of Activity

Interaction with the virtual liver from first-person perspective of the user, photo: Michelle Mantel, 2025. Copyright: Matters of Activity

A collage of an interactive scene in a physical setting and the virtual setting from the user’s perspective. Copyright: Matters of Activity

This research project, part of the Robotic-Assisted Surgery (RAS) Cutting and Filtering initiative at the Cluster »Matters of Activity«, investigates how haptic stimulation enhances multisensory integration and surgical performance in robotic-assisted surgery. For this purpose, we have developed a Virtual Reality (VR)–based robotic console, which we call the »Haptic Interaction Toolkit.« The toolkit is equipped with force and tactile feedback devices, enabling an exploration of how restoring touch perception can improve precision, embodiment, and spatial awareness. Through experimental scenarios such as detecting tissue stiffness and protecting critical structures, the research aims to develop a human-centred framework for integrating haptic feedback into digital surgery, ultimately informing the design of more intuitive robotic systems with a sense of touch.

Publications: Akbal, Z., Sauer, I., Yadygina, A., Remde, C., Blumenthal, J., Queisner, M.Haptic Interaction Toolkit for Robotic-Assisted Surgery. Springer Nature Conference Proceedings 2026, in print.

Akbal, Z., Daneshgar, A., Morgül, M. H., Moosburner, S., Pratschke, J., Sauer, I.M., Queisner, M. 2025. »Exploring the Need for Haptic Feedback and Improved Communication in Robotic-Assisted Surgery: A Surgeon-Centered Survey.« IEEEAccess, 13: 197889-197898. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11250893

Researchers: Moritz Queisner, Zeynep Akbal, Igor Sauer, Julia Blumenthal.
Research period: 2023-2025
Project webpage: https://www.experimental-surgery.de/digitalsurgery/projects/haptic_interaction