A rod-mass method of soft tissue modeling and three dimensional force vector estimation for tele-surgery training

In a tele-surgery training system, the transparency is extremely important so as to ensure the success of the operation and the safety of soft objects. Due to current technique limits, it is difficult to mount force sensors at the end of the slave manipulator. In this paper, we propose a novel rod-mass algorithm and construct the model of soft objects. Through the modeling process, the accurate three dimensional contact force vector between the end of the manipulator and the soft object can be estimated in real time. A virtual spring using Hooke s law is introduced to the novel mass–spring method. Applying an impedance model, the three dimensional contact force estimates can be calculated from the deformation of masses’ positions and velocities. In order to verify our methods, a virtual reality interaction platform is constructed including the Omni master manipulator, a four joints manipulators, a virtual reality display, and the soft object’s model. Numerical simulations and experiments are performed to verify the accuracy and the feasibility of soft objects grasping. Results show the high effectiveness and efficiencies of our methods.