ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of fiber Bragg gratings (FBG)- and photonic crystal fiber (PCF)-type fiber sensors and the interrogation system used for application in minimally invasive surgical (MIS). It proofs of concept of optical fiber – sensorized surgical devices, a sensorized laparoscopic scissor blade and a standard scissor blade are presented. The chapter presents an overview of optical fiber sensors for interaction force measurements in MIS devices such as laparoscopic blades. It presents comparison of the performance evaluation of both PCF sensor and FBG-sensorized blades to provide an insight into the benefits of each sensor type. The basic principle of operation of any FBG-based sensor system is to monitor the shift in the reflected wavelength due to changes in measurands such as strain and temperature. Strain transfer from the blade surface to the optical fiber sensor is influenced by the properties of the blade surface, adhesive layer thickness, and the protective coating, such as polyimide, on the fiber sensor.
