AI-Guided Surgery Using Touch Sensors and Machine Learning
This patent describes a system that uses touch sensors on surgical tools and artificial intelligence to give real-time guidance to surgeons or robots during an operation.
Original patent title: “Computer assisted surgery navigation using intra-operative tactile sensing feedback through machine learning system”
This patent describes a system that uses touch sensors on surgical tools and artificial intelligence to give real-time guidance to surgeons or robots during an operation. Granted in 2026.
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
This system provides computer-assisted navigation during surgery by using a 'sensor circuit' to gather 'intra-operative tactile sensing data'. This data indicates a 'sensed characteristic' of a surgical tool as it touches a patient's anatomy within the surgical site. A 'processing circuitry' then feeds this touch data into a 'machine learning model' to generate 'intra-operative navigated guidance data'. This guidance can be shown on a 'display device' for a surgeon or used to control the movement of a 'surgical robot'. For example, if a surgeon is removing a tumor, the tool's sensors could detect the difference in texture between healthy and diseased tissue, and the AI would then highlight the tumor's exact boundary on a screen or guide a robot to cut precisely.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover surgical navigation systems that rely solely on visual data (like cameras or X-rays) without incorporating tactile feedback.
- Does not cover systems that use tactile sensing but process the data with traditional, rule-based algorithms rather than a 'machine learning model'.
- Does not cover systems where tactile data is used for post-operative analysis or training, rather than 'intra-operative navigated guidance'.
- Does not cover systems that provide guidance without a 'display device' or direct control of a 'surgical robot'.
- Does not cover systems where the tactile sensing data is not specifically about a 'tool contacting a location on patient anatomy'.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
Key facts
What made this novel
The clever part is using a 'machine learning model' to interpret subtle 'intra-operative tactile sensing data' from a surgical tool in real-time. This allows the system to understand complex tissue interactions and provide precise 'navigated guidance' that goes beyond simple force feedback.
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Robotic surgery systems like da Vinci
Computer-assisted orthopedic surgery tools
Minimally invasive surgery platforms
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This technology aims to enhance surgical precision by restoring a sense of touch that can be lost in minimally invasive or robotic procedures. It could lead to safer operations, fewer errors, and faster patient recovery by giving surgeons or robots better real-time information about tissue interaction. By integrating AI, the system can interpret complex tactile information, potentially enabling more delicate and accurate surgical maneuvers.
Filed
January 20, 2023
Granted
September 15, 2026
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
Companies like Intuitive Surgical and Medtronic, leaders in surgical robotics, are actively integrating advanced sensing and AI into their platforms. Startups focused on medical AI and haptic feedback systems for surgery are also exploring similar technologies to enhance precision and safety in operating rooms.
Market impact
This technology aims to significantly improve the precision and safety of computer-assisted and robotic surgeries. By providing enhanced 'tactile sensing feedback' through AI, it could reduce surgical errors and expand the types of complex procedures that can be performed with robotic assistance, potentially setting new standards for surgical guidance systems.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
This system provides computer-assisted navigation during surgery by using a 'sensor circuit' to gather 'intra-operative tactile sensing data'. This data indicates a 'sensed characteristic' of a surgical tool as it touches a patient's anatomy within the surgical site. A 'processing circuitry' then feeds this touch data into a 'machine learning model' to generate 'intra-operative navigated guidance data'. This guidance can be shown on a 'display device' for a surgeon or used to control the movement of a 'surgical robot'. For example, if a surgeon is removing a tumor, the tool's sensors could detect the difference in texture between healthy and diseased tissue, and the AI would then highlight the tumor's exact boundary on a screen or guide a robot to cut precisely.
The clever bit
The clever part is using a 'machine learning model' to interpret subtle 'intra-operative tactile sensing data' from a surgical tool in real-time. This allows the system to understand complex tissue interactions and provide precise 'navigated guidance' that goes beyond simple force feedback.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover surgical navigation systems that rely solely on visual data (like cameras or X-rays) without incorporating tactile feedback.
- Does not cover systems that use tactile sensing but process the data with traditional, rule-based algorithms rather than a 'machine learning model'.
- Does not cover systems where tactile data is used for post-operative analysis or training, rather than 'intra-operative navigated guidance'.
- Does not cover systems that provide guidance without a 'display device' or direct control of a 'surgical robot'.
- Does not cover systems where the tactile sensing data is not specifically about a 'tool contacting a location on patient anatomy'.
Patent timeline
Application submitted to the patent office
Patent officially issued
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Early stage
Citation count
0/40
No citations yet
Claim breadth
0/20
Narrow claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
20/20
Granted within 5 years
Assignee scale
0/20
Independent or smaller assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$26K – $84K
Midpoint $53K · 16.3 yr remaining · industry ×2.2
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
Claim text not yet imported for this patent
Concepts involved
Cite this patent
(2026). AI-Guided Surgery Using Touch Sensors and Machine Learning (U.S. Patent No. 12,734,000). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12734000/computer-assisted-surgery-navigation-using-intra-operative-tactile-sensing
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does AI-Guided Surgery Using Touch Sensors and Machine Learning cover?
This patent describes a system that uses touch sensors on surgical tools and artificial intelligence to give real-time guidance to surgeons or robots during an operation.
When does this patent expire?
This patent is expected to expire on September 15, 2046, when the invention enters the public domain.
What problem does this patent solve?
This technology aims to enhance surgical precision by restoring a sense of touch that can be lost in minimally invasive or robotic procedures. It could lead to safer operations, fewer errors, and faster patient recovery by giving surgeons or robots better real-time information about tissue interaction. By integrating AI, the system can interpret complex tactile information, potentially enabling more delicate and accurate surgical maneuvers.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover surgical navigation systems that rely solely on visual data (like cameras or X-rays) without incorporating tactile feedback.
Patent monitoring