Mutual enlightenment: augmenting human factors research in surgical robotics

Mutual enlightenment: augmenting human factors research in surgical robotics

Current research investigating human performance in surgical robotics is dominated by the use of third-person methods, i.e., the research relies primarily on experimental methods over first-person or experiential methods. Although one cannot deny the many results obtained using this line of inquiry, recent research has unfortunately overlooked the phenomenological element of human?robot interaction. By disregarding subjectivity and first-person point of view, current research analyzing surgical performance ignores one fundamental characteristic: the mental activity leading to the observed behavior captured by third-person methods, including attempts to explain what is happening inside the minds of surgeons when using robotics. Yet, the integration of first-and third-person data within the context of surgical performance offers the potential for a more rigorous and refined understanding of this area of study.

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