Titan Medical Inc (TMDIF)

[Bristol19]

As I've said, haptics adds enormous complexity, if even possible soon in anything other than rudimentary forms.
I'm not even sure it is practically feasible with current technology.
Senhance has it 'to some degree' in their straight stick system. That's because the straight stick can be instrumented at the non-patient end with force transducers that can relay back through the computer to activate motion drivers in the handsets. I doubt very much that Senhance has haptics at the effector level. Since SPORT is flexible arms, sensing any force on them is more difficult at all levels. It enormously complicates the cassette multi-use effector design.

If you view a youtube of a Senhance haptics demo

it seems their haptics are more about informing the surgeon of the straight stick contact forces as it contacts laterally in the port. I do agree that the straight stick axial force "push" haptic sense looks valuable to avoid "stabbing through" tissues in the operative field.

Haptics can mean a huge range of things, from simple shaker sticks in an aircraft cockpit to the latest virtual glove technology from a place like MIT. I think high level haptics like we usually think about are still pretty far away in surgical robotics. Senhance obviously has the lead in this, but as impressive as it looks, it is fairly primitive. Anything that benefits the surgeon though, is a step in the right direction.