Dual‐Modal Safety Framework for Robotic‐Assisted Bronchoscopy via Endoscopic Vision and Haptic Feedback

BACKGROUND: Teleoperated flexible bronchoscopy lacks distal haptic feedback, increasing the risk of unobservable iatrogenic tissue trauma during endoluminal exploration. METHODS: This study proposes a robot-assisted bronchoscopy system integrated with a dual-modal safety framework. A visual module utilises image moments to provide predictive alerts for collision avoidance. Concurrently, a Transformer-based network estimates distal interaction torques from proximal actuation, enabling real-time haptic perception at the leader console. RESULTS: Phantom validations across fragile tissue rupture, sidewall approximation, and luminal exploration tasks demonstrated the framework's efficacy. The visual warnings helped decrease excessive force contacts, while the learning-based estimator delivered reliable distal force perception. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed dual-modal teleoperated safety architecture resolves the trade-off between operational dexterity and safety in flexible bronchoscopy. By integrating predictive visual warnings and real-time haptic feedback, the system improves the operator's situational awareness, decreasing the risk of iatrogenic trauma during the operation.