China ontwikkelt minuscule sensor voor voelende operatierobots

Chinese researchers have developed a rice-sized optical sensor measuring just 1.7 millimeters that enables surgical robots to sense touch in real time. The device, created at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, uses light instead of electronics to measure force, pressure, and twisting in all directions, allowing robots to detect unsafe contact during delicate procedures and respond instantly. The technology could address current limitations in robotic surgery systems, which rely heavily on imaging but struggle to sense physical interaction in tight surgical spaces. Researchers demonstrated the