# US 12,109,000 B2 · Tactile sensor, a surgical instrument having the same, and a method of manufacturing the same

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- Number: US 12,109,000 B2
- Document ID: US12109000B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/609,551
- Filed: 2019-05-09
- Published: 2022-06-30
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2019-05-09
- Assignees: Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development; Qatar University
- Applicants: Qatar Foundation; Qatar University
- Inventors: John-John Cabibihan; Kishor Kumar Sadasivuni; Anas Tahir; Julien Abinahed; Nikhil Navkar; Abdulla Al-Ansari
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109000B2

## CPC

- A61B 34/30: Surgical robots
- A61B 34/76: {Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback}
- A61B 17/28: Surgical forceps (biopsy forceps A61B10/06; {for holding suture needles or materials A61B17/0483; for removing or smashing calculi A61B17/221; surgical scissors A61B17/3201;} obstetrical forceps A61B17/44)
- A61B 34/37: Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence)
- G01L 1/16: using properties of piezoelectric devices
- A61B 2017/0011: {piezoelectric}
- A61B 2090/065: {for measuring contact or contact pressure}
- A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D)
- G01L: MEASURING FORCE, STRESS, TORQUE, WORK, MECHANICAL POWER, MECHANICAL EFFICIENCY, OR FLUID PRESSURE (weighing G01G)

## Abstract

A tactile sensor, a surgical instrument, and a method of making the tactile sensor are provided. In one embodiment, a tactile sensor includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and an intermediate layer between the first electrode and the second electrode. The intermediate layer includes a polyurethane-zinc oxide nanocomposite. Further, one or both of the first and second electrodes may include a silver conductive paste.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of producing a tactile sensor, comprising:
providing a first mixture including polyurethane and a first solvent;
providing a second mixture including zinc oxide and a second solvent;
mixing the first mixture with the second mixture to form a third mixture;
removing solvent from the third mixture;
adding polyurethane into the third mixture to form a film, and
providing electrodes on the film.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the electrodes includes a silver conductive paste.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising a first conductive wire and a second conductive wire, wherein the first conductive wire is provided on at least one of the electrodes and the second conductive wire is provided on a second at least one of the electrodes.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the first conductive wire and the second conductive wire include copper.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the first conductive wire and the second conductive wire include silver.

### Claim 6 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising a top layer and a bottom layer, wherein the top layer is provided on the first conductive wire and the bottom layer is provided on the second conductive wire.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the top layer and the bottom layer include aluminum.