Force Sensing Evaluation for A Piezoelectric-Actuated Compliant Robot With Onboard Visual Servoing

Self-sensing remains a key challenge for soft medical robots, where precise control through force feedback is essential. This paper explores the feasibility of using motion control feedback signals for force sensing in soft actuators. An experiment was designed and conducted on a compliant robot, successfully validating the proposed concept and providing parameterized equations for real-time force sensing. The results demonstrate the potential to incorporate force feedback into closed-loop control systems, enabling micro-robots with haptic sensing. This approach could significantly improve the precision, expand the functionality and enhance the safety of soft medical robots used in surgical diagnosis and intervention procedures.