Advantage of computer aided teleoperation (CAT) in microsurgery

The authors stress the advantages of using a microtelemanipulator in the surgical area where high precision is mandatory. They first describe the SMOS (stereotaxical microtelemanipulator for ocular surgery) mechanical structure and the related control interfaces. Also presented is a comparative study of communication means aimed at finding the most flexible, easiest to handle, and least tiring one for the operator. They then show the impact of the fiber optic sensors on the global performance of a typically surgical task. Subsequently, the three main command modes (manual, telemanipulated, assisted) are compared.<>