Exploring performance and trust in autonomous surgical robotic systems: the role of visuo-haptic guidance

Purpose: Incorporating task-level autonomy into teleoperation systems for robot assisted laparoscopic surgery requires operators to effectively manage transitions from task-level autonomy to teleoperation control, particularly during system failures. This study investigated the impact of the level of guidance during take-over situations on participants’ performance and their trust in the teleoperation system. Methods: N = 34 students, unfamiliar with the system and task, performed a ring transfer task under two conditions: visual guidance, where they monitored the system visually, and visuo-haptic guidance, where they also received haptic feedback by holding the input device as the system operated in task-level autonomy. During some trials, system failures occurred, requiring participants to take over control. Results: Results showed that participants noticed system failures faster with visuo-haptic guidance compared to visual guidance. Although visuo-haptic guidance did not improve task completion times or accuracy during task completion, it led to significantly higher trust in the teleoperation system and a stronger sense of perceived control. However, participants also reported higher physical demand and effort under visuo-haptic guidance, indicating an increased workload in this condition. Conclusion: In conclusion, these findings reveal important trade-offs of the influence of haptic guidance during human oversight of teleoperated autonomous systems.