Design and fabrication of a new tactile probe for measuring the modulus of elasticity of soft tissues

Purpose - The paper aims to discuss the design, fabrication, communication, testing, and simulation of a new tactile probe called Elastirob used to measure the modulus of elasticity of biological soft tissues and soft materials. Design/methodology/approach - Both finite element modeling and experimental approaches were used in this analysis. Elastirob, with the ability to apply different rates of strain on testing specimens, is accompanied by a tactile display called TacPlay. This display is a custom-designed user-friendly interface and is able to evaluate the elasticity in each part of the stress-strain curve. Findings - A new device is being constructed that can measure the modulus of elasticity of a sensed object. The results of Elastirob applied on two specimens are reported and compared by the results of experiments obtained by an industrial testing machine. Acceptable validations of Elastirob were achieved from the comparisons. Research limitations/implications - The designed system can be miniaturized to be used in minimally invasive surgeries in the future. Practical implications - Elastirob determines the elasticity by drawing the stress-strain curve and then calculating its slope. The combination of the force sensing resistor, microcontroller and stepper motor provides Elastirob with the ability to apply different rates of strain on testing specimens. Originality/value - It can be employed in both in vivo and in vitro tests for measuring stiffness of touch objects. For the first time, a device has been designed and tested which is a few orders of magnitude smaller than its industrial counterparts and has considerably lower weight.