Spatial Communication in Robotic Surgery

• Published in: Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting 2012-09, Vol.56 (1), p.946-950
• Main Authors: Cunningham, Stacey, Cao, Caroline G.L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 1541-9312; 1071-1813; 2169-5067
• DOI: 10.1177/1071181312561198

Surgical robots assist with precision tasks in minimally invasive procedures. The surgeon controls the robot from a console away from the operating table, reducing the opportunity for face-to-face communication in an otherwise team-oriented environment. This study examined spatial communication in a collaborative surgical task. It was hypothesized that spatial communication aids would improve performance in the task despite subjects’ innate spatial ability. Fifteen novice dyads completed a simulated organ manipulation task using a laparoscopic trainer box with a rotated (90o) camera view. Subjects were divided into 3 experimental groups: no aid, cardinal directions aid, and grid aid. A spatial ability test was also administered. Significant correlations were found between spatial ability, time, and communication volume in the no aid condition, an effect less apparent in the cardinal directions or grid aid conditions. These results suggest the benefit of a spatial communication aid to promote collaboration in robotic surgery.