The ever-increasing functional capabilities of emerging medical devices have precipitated new requirements for the multi-function foot controls used to operate the equipment. These foot controls typically consist of multiple actuators … one for each required control function.
For example, it is not uncommon to find foot controls for electrosurgical generators with 3 functions, foot controls for endoscopic surgical apparatus with 5 or 6 functions, cataract surgery systems requiring 6 to 9 control functions, and surgical microscopes requiring 10 or more functions.
This increasing foot control complexity has placed new challenges on the manufacturer to offer and produce foot controls that are easy to navigate and easy-to-use. Optimum usability requires creative ways to quickly locate the foot control unit and each of its functional actuators.
To address these challenges, visual and non-visual aids can (and are) being designed into the medical-grade foot controls to enhance their usability.