Multi-sensor schemes for controlling devices in clinical applications.

This paper reports on automated sensing techniques developed for two automated tool systems for clinical application. The examples described are for controlling tool penetration through and on the surface of tissue interfaces in the form of a micro-drill and steerable endoscope tip respectively. As a result of interpreting multi sensory data as information, it is possible to identify the state of the tool/tissue interaction and to judge critical states of processes. These solutions show that integration of information technology can lead to reasonably simple designs.