Miniaturized magnetic force sensor on a catheter tip

This paper reports the smallest magnetic force sensor integrated on a catheter tip. The sensor is capable of high sensitivity and robust force measurements suitable for invivo applications. It utilizes a magnet mounted on a flexible membrane encapsulating the catheter and a Hall sensor to detect the magnetic field generated by the magnet. The proposed device can be used in many applications of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) to detect forces applied on tissue during procedures or to characterize different types of tissue for diagnosis.