  Current robotic minimally invasive surgery (RMIS) platforms provide surgeons
with no haptic feedback of the robot's physical interactions. This limitation
forces surgeons to rely heavily on visual feedback and can make it challenging
for surgical trainees to manipulate tissue gently. Prior research has
demonstrated that haptic feedback can increase task accuracy in RMIS training.
However, it remains unclear whether these improvements represent a fundamental
improvement in skill, or if they simply stem from re-prioritizing accuracy over
task completion time. In this study, we provide haptic feedback of the force
applied by the surgical instruments using custom wrist-squeezing devices. We
hypothesize that individuals receiving haptic feedback will increase accuracy
(produce less force) while increasing their task completion time, compared to a
control group receiving no haptic feedback. To test this hypothesis, N=21
novice participants were asked to repeatedly complete a ring rollercoaster
surgical training task as quickly as possible. Results show that participants
receiving haptic feedback apply significantly less force (0.67 N) than the
control group, and they complete the task no faster or slower than the control
group after twelve repetitions. Furthermore, participants in the feedback group
decreased their task completion times significantly faster (7.68%) than
participants in the control group (5.26%). This form of haptic feedback,
therefore, has the potential to help trainees improve their technical accuracy
without compromising speed.
