In millimeter-level dissection during neurosurgery and in the delicate manipulation of cardiovascular interventions, surgeons have long faced a daunting challenge: While traditional surgical robots extend the operating radius, they fail to convey the authentic tactile feedback between instruments and human tissue. It's like threading a needle in fog—relying solely on visual judgment to gauge force—which inadvertently increases the risk of tissue damage and intraoperative bleeding.

As minimally invasive surgery advances toward precision and intelligence, force feedback technology has become a focal point for global research teams. This pivotal technology, granting surgical robots “tactile perception,” is fundamentally reshaping the operational logic of minimally invasive procedures—a transformation underpinned by high-precision electronic manufacturing.

I. Decoding Force Feedback: The “Tactile Perception Core” of Minimally Invasive Surgery

Force feedback technology intelligently captures real-time interaction forces between surgical instruments and target objects via sensors, converting these force signals into perceptible physical feedback (such as pressure or tension) for surgeons. In minimally invasive settings, it functions as a “tactile bridge,” enabling operators to accurately perceive critical tactile information—like tissue firmness and traction tension—despite the mechanical barrier between robotic arms and human tissue.

Unlike traditional visual feedback, force feedback technology focuses on “precise capture and transmission of force signals.” Its core value lies in filling the “tactile blind spot” during surgery—mitigating risks like excessive tissue traction or accidental vascular injury caused by visual judgment errors. This elevates minimally invasive surgery from “seeing accurately” to “performing steadily.”

II. Critical Significance of Force Feedback in Minimally Invasive Surgery

The core advantages of minimally invasive surgery lie in reduced trauma and faster recovery. However, the “lack of tactile feedback” in traditional surgical robots has remained a persistent technical challenge. The importance of force feedback technology manifests across multiple critical dimensions in clinical applications:

• Enhancing Surgical Safety: Real-time perception of tissue force conditions enables a 43% reduction in applied forces during surgery, significantly lowering risks of complications such as bleeding and infection. (Source: Intuitive Surgical Da Vinci 5 Preclinical Study, 2024)

• Ensuring Precision: In high-precision procedures like neurosurgery and cardiovascular surgery, it detects force changes at the micro-Newton level, ensuring uniform suture tension and gentle dissection.

• Lowering Learning Curve: Tactile feedback aids judgment, helping surgeons rapidly master complex surgical techniques and shorten the skill acquisition period.

III. Global Innovation: Breakthrough Force Feedback Technology in Da Vinci 5

As the global benchmark in surgical robotics, Intuitive's fifth-generation Da Vinci Surgical System (Da Vinci 5) achieves a milestone breakthrough in force feedback technology. Approved by the U.S. FDA in March 2024 under 510(k) clearance, this system enables minimally invasive procedures across multiple specialties including abdominal, pelvic, and thoracic surgery. It stands as the first commercially available surgical robotics system with FDA-validated force sensors integrated directly into instrument tips.

Its core innovations focus on three key areas:

1. High-precision sensors integrated at the instrument tip directly capture tissue interaction forces, eliminating reliance on indirect calculations for more accurate feedback.

2. An optimized force signal transmission chain, paired with newly designed control handles, maintains end-to-end latency within the critical threshold for tactile perception, enabling real-time feedback.

3. Software algorithms synchronize force signals with visual imagery, creating complementary tactile and visual judgment for surgeons.

Preclinical data indicates that this force feedback technology reduces tissue stress during surgery by up to 43%, providing enhanced safety for high-risk procedures.

The implementation and certification of the Da Vinci 5 technology signify the evolution of force feedback from a “research concept” to a “clinical necessity,” propelling the global surgical robotics industry into an era of “tactile perception” competition.

IV. Domestic Development Status: Technological Catch-Up and Core Component Breakthroughs

China's minimally invasive surgical robotics industry is undergoing rapid growth, yet faces critical challenges: the stability and durability of high-end force feedback sensors require improvement; conventional SMT techniques and coating processes in traditional PCBA industries fail to meet requirements; and insufficient localization rates for core electronic components drive up overall equipment costs, making consumable expenses a major concern for hospital procurement. This landscape presents breakthrough opportunities for enterprises focused on core component R&D.

V. Creation Changzhou: Full-Chain Empowerment, Building a New Medical Intelligence Ecosystem

Currently, the global surgical robot market is expanding at a compound annual growth rate exceeding 22%. Force feedback systems have become a key module enhancing product competitiveness.

Amidst the global breakthrough in force feedback technology, Creation Changzhou has leveraged years of industry expertise to become a key service provider for core electronic components in surgical robots. Its technological innovations have driven precision manufacturing and performance upgrades for force feedback sensor printed circuit boards (PCBA).

Leveraging nearly a decade of refined manufacturing expertise, Creation Technologies consistently upholds its core collaborative philosophy of “growing alongside customers.” From demand insight and solution co-creation to prototype iteration and mass production implementation, and deeply embeds itself in the entire product development process of our clients, acting as collaborative innovation partners. 

Core Technology Capabilities

Through extensive experience in force feedback surgical robotics, Creation Technologies has developed three core technological strengths:

• Ultra-Precision Manufacturing Processes: Capable of micron-level PCB assembly, precision cleaning, and high-accuracy coating processes to meet force feedback sensors' demands for miniaturization and high-density electronic components.

• Cross-Industry Application of Chip Packaging Technology: Innovatively integrating chip packaging techniques into force feedback sensor PCBA manufacturing replaces conventional coating processes. This significantly enhances circuit board interference resistance and environmental adaptability, perfectly meeting sterilization compatibility demands in surgical settings.

• Reliability breakthroughs: Through optimized material selection and process iterations, PCBA products achieve industry-leading performance in critical metrics like low-latency transmission and force signal fidelity, resolving the pain point of insufficient durability in traditional PCBA for medical applications.

• Inspection and Traceability Breakthrough: Adhering to ISO 13485 and GMP medical device manufacturing standards, Creation Technologies quality control management for medical projects exceeds conventional levels. Its comprehensive suite of testing equipment for high-precision circuit boards and robust supply chain capabilities encompass nearly all hardware and software requirements for manufacturing high-end PCBA products.

Industrial Empowerment Value

Creation Technologies’ manufacturing breakthroughs deliver dual core value to the medical device industry:

1. Significantly reduces production and usage costs of surgical robot consumables through domestic process innovation for core components, alleviating hospital operational pressures;

2. Provides OEMs with cost-effective, highly reliable core component solutions, helping enterprises rapidly overcome critical bottlenecks in force feedback technology implementation and significantly enhance product market competitiveness.

Full Lifecycle Support

From precision manufacturing to precision medicine, Creation Technologies consistently drives innovation to address core customer needs, delivering end-to-end closed-loop services spanning customized design optimization, scaled production, and comprehensive after-sales support:

1. Deeply engage in early-stage product R&D to optimize force feedback solutions tailored to surgical pain points;

2. Strictly enforcing medical-grade quality control standards during production to ensure batch delivery stability and consistency;

3. Establishing rapid response mechanisms for after-sales support, including technical training, troubleshooting, and iterative upgrades to safeguard product implementation and clinical application throughout the lifecycle.

VI. Cross-Industry Expansion of Force Feedback Technology: Surging Demand for High-Precision PCBA

The application of force feedback technology has long transcended minimally invasive surgery, rapidly extending into multiple high-precision industries:

• Rehabilitation Medicine: Smart prosthetics and rehabilitation training equipment utilize force feedback for motion assistance and safety protection, enhancing recovery outcomes;

• Industrial Manufacturing: In precision electronics assembly and micro-component processing, force feedback ensures precise and controllable operational force, reducing product wastage;

• Human-Machine Interaction: High-end VR/AR devices and smart wearables enhance immersive interaction and optimize user experience through force feedback;

• Scientific Research & Testing: Scenarios like biomechanical experiments and new material performance testing require high-precision force signal capture to support accurate research data.

As demand for force feedback technology continues to escalate across industries, the market for high-specification force feedback PCBA will experience explosive growth.

We understand that every technological advancement impacts human well-being. Creation Technologies is committed to deep collaboration with global premium surgical robotics enterprises, empowering technological iteration through more precise, reliable products and comprehensive services—ensuring more patients benefit from intelligent medical innovations.

When robotic arms gain “sensory perception,” and precision medicine becomes within reach—Creation Technologies safeguards life's precision through the power of technology.

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