Recent technological development has led to the invention of different designs of haptic devices, electromechanical devices that mediate communication between the user and the computer and allow users to manipulate objects in a virtual environment while receiving tactile feedback. The main criteria behind providing an interactive interface are to generate kinesthetic feedback and relay information actively from the haptic device. Sensors and feedback control apparatus are of paramount importance in designing and manufacturing a haptic device. In general, haptic technology can be implemented in different applications such as gaming, teleoperation, medical surgeries, augmented reality (AR), and virtual reality (VR) devices. This paper classifies the application of haptic devices based on the construction and functionality in various fields, followed by addressing major limitations related to haptics technology and discussing prospects of this technology.

Intraoperative imaging disrupts the rhythm of surgery despite providing an excellent opportunity for surgical monitoring and assessment. To allow surg

Manipulators are used for various applications to make tasks easier or decrease the risk of tasks deemed impossible, dangerous or difficult for humans. A robotic manipulator can be equipped with different types of end effectors to perform diverse tasks. Grippers are one of the most commonly-used robot end of arm tools. Depending on the application in hand for the robotic system, various types of grippers are needed. Therefore, selecting the proper one is a significantly important aspect in the design process. To the best knowledge of the authors, there are not enough scholarly research papers focusing on classification for robot grippers. In this paper, a brief review on different categories of grippers are presented. The goal of this paper is to provide a brief informational summary on different classifications, since proper selection of gripper plays a vital role in robot manipulator’s efficiency and performance.

Object: It has been over a decade since the introduction of the da Vinci Surgical System into surgery. Since then, technology has been advancing at an exponential rate, and newer surgical robots are becoming increasingly sophisticated, which could greatly impact the performance of surgery. NeuroArm is one such robotic system. Methods: Clinical integration of neuroArm, an MR-compatible image-guided robot, into surgical procedure has been developed over a prospective series of 35 cases with varying pathology. Results: Only 1 adverse event was encountered in the first 35 neuroArm cases, with no patient injury. The adverse event was uncontrolled motion of the left neuroArm manipulator, which was corrected through a rigorous safety review procedure. Surgeons used a graded approach to introducing neuroArm into surgery, with routine dissection of the tumor-brain interface occurring over the last 15 cases. The use of neuroArm for routine dissection shows that robotic technology can be successfully integrated into microsurgery. Karnofsky performance status scores were significantly improved postoperatively and at 12-week follow-up. Conclusions: Surgical robots have the potential to improve surgical precision and accuracy through motion scaling and tremor filters, although human surgeons currently possess superior speed and dexterity. Additionally, neuroArm's workstation has positive implications for technology management and surgical education. NeuroArm is a step toward a future in which a variety of machines are merged with medicine.