China builds rice-sized sensor that lets surgical robots feel touch in real time

Researchers at Shanghai Jiao Tong University built a 1.7-millimeter optical touch sensor for surgical robots.

The rice-sized device uses light and a soft tip to measure force, pressure, shear, and twisting in all directions.

In tests, it delivered repeatable readings and detected tumor-like objects hidden in gelatin models.

The team says it could make robotic and minimally invasive surgery safer by giving tiny tools real-time tactile feedback.