Mechatronics Design and Preclinical Evaluation of ARASH ASiST: ARAS Haptic System for Eye Surgery Training

Vitreoretinal surgery demands phenomenal precision, dexterity, and steadiness—skills that push the limits of human motor control. Conventional training approaches, which depend on mentorship and subjective judgment, provide minimal opportunities for standardized evaluation or objective feedback. To address this, we present ARASH ASiST, a dual-user haptic platform aimed at enhancing surgical proficiency through force feedback and real-time performance evaluation. Central to its design is a parallelogram-based remote center of motion mechanism, crafted to deliver four degrees of freedom while enabling precise tool control within the intraocular space. A gravity compensation system, integrating topology optimization and counterweights, reduces the torque required for movement, enhancing stability and responsiveness. Further innovations include a high-precision force sensing system capable of distinguishing expertise levels, a laser-guided remote center of motion visualization tool for accurate anatomical alignment, and a real-time data acquisition framework for quantitative skill assessment. Preclinical evaluations with vitreoretinal surgeons confirmed the system’s effectiveness, demonstrating suitable ergonomic performance, enhanced control, and the ability to differentiate skill levels based on motion efficiency and force application. With the ongoing evolution of robotic and haptic systems in microsurgical training, ARASH ASiST represents a significant advancement toward an objective, data-driven framework for skill development in retinal surgery.