Experimental Validation of the Multifunctional Device for Measuring Forces and Torques on Spine Phantoms

In modern spinal surgery, minimally invasive procedures using mechatronic and robotic systems are actively developing. Moreover, for the development of optimal designs of such systems, information is needed on the range of forces arising from the interaction of medical instruments and patient tissues at all stages of surgical intervention. The authors have developed and manufactured a prototype of a multifunctional device for measuring forces and torques during operations. The purpose of this article is to describe the laboratory validation of this prototype. Two experiments of the multifunctional device were carried out on medical phantoms in conditions close to real medical practice. In particular, an imitation of the retraction of the back muscles was carried out, and the screw was screwed into a vertebral pedicle phantom. The data obtained made it possible to confirm the correspondence of the characteristics of the sensor elements of the device to the required measurement ranges. The operability of the device was proved, and the possibility of using the device in medical practice was confirmed. The results obtained will allow the transition to clinical trials of the prototype.