Hand exoskeleton for remote control of minimally invasive surgical anthropomorphic instrumentation

Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) has evolved from traditional laparoscopy, which involves the surgeon using hand held tools through small incisions on the patient’s body, to robotically assisted (R-A) surgery, during which the surgeon remotely operates articulated instruments attached to the end of robotic arms. Advances in the design, articulation and flexibility of the instruments have added to the popularity of R-A MIS [1]. Nevertheless, the way that the instruments are controlled affects not only their efficacy, but also the ergonomics and the learning process for the surgeon.