Review of tool-tissue interaction models for robotic surgery applications

Besides the motion control issues and problems arising in general robotic applications, control engineers frequently encounter difficulties in designing robotic surgery systems due to the complex environmental constraints present. One of the most challenging problems is caused by the unique behavior of soft tissues under manipulations such as grabbing, cutting and indentation. The appropriate modeling of the interaction between the tools held by the robotic arm and tissues is essential for precise control, yet no generally applicable, universal model has been developed so far. This paper gives an overview of the existing tool-tissue interaction models and possible approaches to the parameterization problem, listing and reviewing several models found in the literature. We reviewed the problem within the frames of a theoretical master-slave teleoperation surgical robot, where exact mathematical model of the soft tissue is essential for effective control over a time-delayed communication channel.