Medical assistant robot and medical robot system

Abstract

A medical assisting robot includes: a housing portion capable of housing a medical device; at least one robot arm having an end effector capable of handling the medical device at a front end; a traveling device that supports the housing portion and the at least one robot arm and enables them to travel; and a control device that controls the traveling device to move to a medical robot that performs a medical action.

Description

[0001] Cross-reference of related applications

[0002] This application claims priority to Japanese Patent Application No. 2020-071344, filed with the Japan Patent Office on April 10, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Technical Field

[0003] This disclosure relates to medical assistive robots and medical robot systems. Background Technology

[0004] In recent years, research has focused on introducing robots into medical settings. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a robotic X-ray imaging device. This device includes a robotic arm, a support arm supported by the robotic arm, an X-ray source mounted on the support arm, and a radiation detector mounted on the support arm. In medical procedures, the robotic X-ray imaging device uses the robotic arm to irradiate an area containing the patient's heart valves with X-rays from multiple different projection directions. The radiation detector detects the X-rays attenuated by the patient in each projection direction and outputs respective projection datasets for each projection direction. Furthermore, the projection datasets are used to construct a 3D image, which is then displayed on a monitor.

[0005] Existing technical documents

[0006] Patent documents

[0007] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2009-213892 Summary of the Invention

[0008] In recent years, various new infectious diseases have emerged. Individuals infected with these diseases can transmit the disease to others through droplets or other droplets containing infectious agents. Healthcare workers, in particular, face a high risk of infection when diagnosing and treating infected individuals. Furthermore, medical equipment used to handle infected patients can become contaminated with infectious agents. Therefore, those assisting in the disposal of treated medical equipment also face a high risk of infection.

[0009] The purpose of this invention is to provide a medical assistive robot and a medical robot system capable of performing assistive medical procedures.

[0010] This disclosure discloses a medical assistive robot comprising: a storage unit capable of storing medical equipment; at least one robotic arm having an end effector at its front end capable of handling the medical equipment; a driving device supporting the storage unit and the at least one robotic arm and capable of driving; and a control device that controls the driving device to move as a medical robot performing medical procedures.

[0011] The foregoing contents, further solutions, features and advantages of this disclosure will become more fully apparent from the following description of the accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments. Attached Figure Description

[0012] Figure 1 This is a top view illustrating an example of the structure of a medical robot system according to an implementation method.

[0013] Figure 2 This is a side view illustrating an example of the structure of a medical assistive robot according to an embodiment.

[0014] Figure 3 This is a top view illustrating an example of the structure of a medical assistive robot according to an embodiment.

[0015] Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of a medical assistive robot according to an implementation method.

[0016] Figure 5 This is a top view illustrating an example of the movement of a medical assistive robot according to an implementation method. Detailed Implementation

[0017] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Furthermore, the embodiments described below are general or specific examples. Additionally, structural elements in the following embodiments that represent the highest-level concept but are not described in the independent claims are described as arbitrary structural elements. Furthermore, the figures in the drawings are schematic diagrams and are not necessarily strictly illustrative. Also, sometimes substantially identical structural elements are labeled with the same symbols in the figures, and repeated descriptions are omitted or simplified.

[0018] <Structure of Medical Robot System>

[0019] Figure 1 This is a top view illustrating an example of the structure of the medical robot system 1 according to an embodiment. (See attached image.) Figure 1 As shown, the medical robot system 1 is a system that uses robots to perform medical procedures. The medical robot system 1 includes a medical robot 10, a medical assistive robot 100, and operation input devices 20 and 30. The medical robot 10 is a robot that performs medical procedures on the recipients P of medical procedures, such as patients, those being examined, and other medical subjects. Figure 1 The system includes medical robots 10A and 10B. A medical assistive robot 100 assists the medical robots 10A and 10B in their medical procedures. An operation input device 20 is used to operate the medical robots 10A or 10B. Figure 1 In this medical robot 10A and 10B, operation input devices 20A and 20B are respectively configured. The operation input device 30 is a device for operating the medical assistive robot 100. Medical behavior can be any behavior that treats the object of medical behavior, such as diagnosis, examination, treatment, internal medicine operation and surgical operation.

[0020] Hereinafter, when medical robot 10 is distinguished as medical robot 10A and 10B, it will be referred to as "medical robot 10A" and "medical robot 10B" respectively; when no distinction is made, it will sometimes be referred to as "medical robot 10". When operation input device 20 is distinguished as operation input device 20A and 20B, it will be referred to as "operation input device 20A" and "operation input device 20B" respectively; when no distinction is made, it will sometimes be referred to as "operation input device 20".

[0021] While not limited to this, in this embodiment, the medical robot 10A is a novel robot designed by the inventors of the technology disclosed herein, based on a general-purpose robot such as a mobile industrial robot. The medical robot 10A includes a robot arm 11A, an end effector 12A at the tip of the robot arm 11A, a travel device 13A that supports and moves the robot arm 11A, and an interface device. The medical robot 10A may have a structure that receives power from an external commercial power source, a structure that uses a battery as a power source, or a structure that combines both.

[0022] The end effector 12A has a structure suitable for medical procedures and is configured to be attached to and detached from the tip of the robotic arm 11A. For example, the end effector 12A can be configured to correspond to various medical procedures such as examination, specimen collection, temperature measurement, loading and unloading medical devices from the patient, connection and disconnection of medical devices mounted on the patient, grasping, and suction. The robotic arm 11A is a multi-degree-of-freedom, multi-joint robotic arm. The travel device 13A only needs to have a structure that enables the robotic arm 11A to move, such as having wheels. For example, the travel device 13A can also be an AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle). The interface devices include a camera, microphone, monitor, and speaker. The camera and microphone acquire images and sounds of the patient P, etc., and send them to the operation input device 20A. The monitor and speaker output images and sounds received from the operation input device 20A from the physician D, etc., acting as the operator.

[0023] While not limited to this, in this embodiment, the medical robot 10B is a robot utilizing and based on a surgical robot, and is a novel robot researched and designed by the inventors of this disclosure. The medical robot 10B includes an arm 11B, a base 12B at the front end of the arm 11B, multiple manipulators 13B supported by the base 12B, an end effector 14B, a travel device 15B, and an interface device. The medical robot 10B includes an end effector 14B at the front end of each manipulator 13B to replace surgical instruments. The medical robot 10B may have a structure that receives power from an external commercial power source, a structure that has a battery as a power source, or a structure that combines both.

[0024] The end effector 14B, like the end effector 12A of the medical robot 10A, has a structure suitable for medical procedures and is configured to be detachable from the front end of the robotic arm 13B. The motion device 15B only needs to have a structure capable of moving the medical robot 10B; for example, it could be a motion device found in surgical robots. The interface devices include a camera, microphone, monitor, and speaker. The camera and microphone acquire images and sounds of the patient (P, etc.) and send them to the operation input device 20B. The monitor and speaker output images and sounds received from the operation input device 20B from the doctor (D, etc.).

[0025] For example, medical robots 10A and 10B are configured within a medical treatment room (MTR) for performing medical treatment on a patient (P), and communicate with operation input devices 20A and 20B located in an operating room (OR) outside the MTR. The MTR and OR are isolated to prevent pathogens, such as infectious agents, from moving between them. Medical robots 10A and 10B send and receive information, instructions, and data with the operation input devices 20A and 20B, respectively, and perform actions according to the information and instructions received from the operation input devices 20A and 20B. In other words, medical robots 10A and 10B are remotely operated via operation input devices 20A and 20B located in spaces isolated from them.

[0026] For example, the operation input device 20A for medical robot 10A can be the same device used in industrial robots, or a new operation input device designed specifically for medical robot 10A can be used. Similarly, the operation input device 20B for medical robot 10B can be the same device used in surgical robots such as control consoles. Communication between medical robots 10A and 10B and operation input devices 20A and 20B can be any wired or wireless communication.

[0027] The input devices 20A and 20B include an input device 21 and an interface device 22 for receiving input from the physician D, who is the operator. The interface device 22 includes a camera, microphone, monitor, and speaker. The camera and microphone acquire images and sounds from the physician D and others and send them to the medical robots 10A and 10B. The monitor and speaker output images and sounds from the medical robot 10A and 10B to the medical subject P. Therefore, the physician D can perform medical procedures using the medical robots 10A and 10B while communicating with the medical subject P in an operating room OR isolated from the medical subject P.

[0028] <Structure of Medical Assistive Robots>

[0029] The structure of the medical assistive robot 100 is described. Figure 2 This is a side view showing an example of the structure of the medical assistive robot 100 according to an embodiment. Figure 3 This is a top view illustrating an example of the structure of the medical assistive robot 100 according to an embodiment. (See attached image.) Figure 2 and Figure 3As shown, the medical assistive robot 100 includes a base 101, a robotic arm 102, an end effector 103, a travel device 104, a storage unit 105, and a control device 106. The robotic arm 102 and the storage unit 105 are disposed on the upper surface 101a of the base 101 and supported by the base 101. The end effector 103 is detachably mounted on the front end of the robotic arm 102 and has a structure suitable for medical assistive movements. The travel device 104 is disposed at the lower part of the base 101, enabling the base 101 to move. That is, the travel device 104 can support the robotic arm 102 and the storage unit 105 and enable them to travel. The control device 106 controls the movements of the robotic arm 102, the end effector 103, and the travel device 104.

[0030] The robot arm 102 is capable of freely changing the position and orientation of the end effector 103 at its tip. The robot arm 102 is a multi-degree-of-freedom robot arm with multiple joints. In this embodiment, the robot arm 102 is a 6-axis vertical multi-joint robot arm with 6 rotary joints, but the form of the robot arm 102 is not limited to this. The robot arm 102 has arm drive devices AM1 to AM6 at each of the 6 joints to rotate and drive that joint. The arm drive devices AM1 to AM6 are each powered by electricity, for example, as servo motors. The movement of the arm drive devices AM1 to AM6 is controlled by a control device 106.

[0031] The end effector 103 is configured to process medical devices (MD). The power source of the tool drive unit 103a, which serves as the drive unit for the end effector 103, is not particularly limited; for example, it can be electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic. The tool drive unit 103a powered by electricity may, for example, have a servo motor as an electric motor. The operation of the tool drive unit 103a is controlled by a control unit 106.

[0032] Medical devices (MD) can be any device used in medical treatment. For example, medical devices (MD) may include, but are not limited to, medical instruments, medical apparatus, examination instruments, examination equipment, specimens, pharmaceuticals, loading devices for patients undergoing medical procedures, and end effectors 12A and 14B of medical robots 10A and 10B. For example, pharmaceuticals include not only drugs but also items such as blood for transfusions and culture media that are introduced into the body of a patient undergoing medical procedures. For example, loading devices may include, but are not limited to, beds, examination tables, operating tables, stretchers, and wheelchairs.

[0033] The storage section 105 is capable of storing the medical device MD. While not limited thereto, in this embodiment, the storage section 105 includes storage sections 105A to 105D. The first storage section 105A stores unused or sterilized end effectors 12A and 14B used for treatment of patients undergoing medical procedures. For example, the first storage section 105A stores the end effectors 12A and 14B used by medical robots 10A and 10B according to various treatments. The second storage section 105B stores used end effectors 12A and 14B used for treatment of patients undergoing medical procedures. For example, the second storage section 105B stores end effectors 12A and 14B removed from medical robots 10A and 10B.

[0034] The third storage section 105C stores unused medical devices MD used for handling patients by the end effectors 12A and 14B of medical robots 10A and 10B. For example, the third storage section 105C can also store medical devices, medical instruments, examination instruments, examination tools, specimens, and pharmaceuticals. For example, the third storage section 105C can also store examination tools and examination kits used to collect specimens from patients.

[0035] The fourth storage section 105D stores used medical devices MDs processed by end effectors 12A and 14B for handling patients undergoing medical procedures. For example, the fourth storage section 105D can also store medical devices, medical instruments, examination instruments, examination tools, specimens, and pharmaceuticals. For example, the fourth storage section 105D can also store examination tools and examination kits after specimens have been collected from patients undergoing medical procedures.

[0036] Furthermore, the end effector 103 is configured to hold and remove the medical device MD from the storage unit 105, and to store the held medical device MD within the storage unit 105. Additionally, the end effector 103 is configured to perform at least one of the following actions: a holding action to remove the medical device MD from the storage unit 105 and hold it in the medical robots 10A and 10B, and a releasing action to release the medical device MD held by the medical robots 10A and 10B from the medical robots 10A and 10B.

[0037] Specifically, the end effector 103 can be configured to mount end effectors 12A and 14B onto the robotic arm 11A and the manipulator 13B, respectively. The end effector 103 can be configured to detach end effectors 12A and 14B mounted on the robotic arm 11A and the manipulator 13B. The end effector 103 can be configured to mount or transfer medical devices MD other than those on end effectors 12A and 14B to the end effectors 12A and 14B. The end effector 103 can be configured to remove from or receive medical devices MD held on the end effectors 12A and 14B.

[0038] The driving device 104 includes a plurality of wheels 104a capable of supporting and moving the base 101, and a driving device 104b. The driving device 104b is capable of driving at least one wheel 104a and changing the direction of the wheel 104a. Thus, the driving device 104b can move the base 101 in any direction. Furthermore, the driving device 104 can be used as long as it can use power to move the base 101. Although not limited to this, in this embodiment, the driving device 104b uses electricity as a power source, for example, as a servo motor. For example, the driving device 104 could also be an AGV. The operation of the driving device 104b is controlled by a control device 106.

[0039] Furthermore, the medical assistive robot 100 includes a battery 107, a communication device 108, a position detection device 109, and a disinfectant storage section 110a for a disinfection device 110 within its base 101. The battery 107 functions as the power source for the electrical equipment of the medical assistive robot 100. The battery 107 is a secondary battery capable of charging and discharging electricity. Secondary batteries include lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, and nickel-cadmium batteries. The battery 107 is electrically connected to a power connector 114 disposed on the base 101. The battery 107 receives power from an external commercial power source connected to the power connector 114, stores the supplied power, and supplies the stored power to the electrical equipment of the medical assistive robot 100. Alternatively, the medical assistive robot 100 may be configured to supply power from an external commercial power source connected to the power connector 114 to its electrical equipment, or it may be configured to selectively use or combine power from the battery 107 and power from the commercial power source.

[0040] The communication device 108 includes a first communication device 108a and a second communication device 108b. The first communication device 108a is configured to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with the operation input device 30 of the medical assistive robot 100. The first communication device 108a mediates the transmission and reception of information, instructions, and data between the control device 106 and the operation input device 30. The second communication device 108b is configured to communicate wirelessly or wiredly with the medical robots 10A and 10B. The second communication device 108b mediates the transmission and reception of information, instructions, and data between the control device 106 and the medical robots 10A and 10B. While not limited to this, in this embodiment, the communication devices 108a and 108b are configured to communicate wirelessly. The communication devices 108a and 108b may include communication circuits, etc. The wireless and wired communication applied to the communication devices 108a and 108b can be any wireless or wired communication. Alternatively, only the first communication device 108a of the communication devices 108a and 108b may be provided.

[0041] For example, medical assistive robot 100 is disposed in the medical treatment room MTR in the same manner as medical robots 10A and 10B, and operation input device 30 is disposed in the operation room OR in the same manner as operation input devices 20A and 20B of medical robots 10A and 10B. Therefore, medical assistive robot 100 is remotely operated through operation input device 30 disposed in a space isolated from medical robots 10A and 10B and medical assistive robot 100 itself.

[0042] The position detection device 109 can also be configured to detect the position of the base 101, and then detect the attitude of the base 101. The position detection device 109 outputs the detection result to the control device 106. The structure of the position detection device 109 is not particularly limited, as long as it can detect at least one of the position and attitude of the base 101.

[0043] For example, the position detection device 109 may include position measurement devices such as a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver and an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit). The position detection device 109 can detect the position and attitude of the base 101 using signals received from the GPS receiver and / or acceleration and angular velocity measured by the IMU. For example, the position detection device 109 may be configured to detect the position and attitude of the base 101 based on signals received from sensors arranged around the base. For example, the position detection device 109 may also be configured to radiate infrared rays, light waves, and ultrasonic waves into the surrounding area, and detect the position and attitude of the base 101 by receiving reflected waves from these sources. For example, the position detection device 109 may be configured to detect the position and attitude of the base 101 based on images of the surrounding area captured by a camera. For example, the position detection device 109 may also be configured to detect a weak induced current from a wire buried in the ground, and detect the position and attitude of the base 101 based on the detected value of the induced current.

[0044] The disinfection device 110 includes a disinfectant receiving section 110a and a release section 110b. The disinfectant receiving section 110a is a container for storing disinfectant, such as alcohol or other disinfectant solutions. The release section 110b is connected to the disinfectant receiving section 110a via piping or the like, and releases the disinfectant from the receiving section 110a to the outside. For example, the release section 110b may also be a device for spraying disinfectant solution or disinfectant powder, including a release nozzle 110ba and a pump 110bb for pressurizing the disinfectant. The release nozzle 110ba is disposed on a robotic arm 102 or an end effector 103, and can release disinfectant from any position and in any direction via the robotic arm 102 and the end effector 103. In this embodiment, the release nozzle 110ba is disposed at the front end of the robotic arm 102. The pump 110bb is disposed within the base 101.

[0045] Furthermore, the medical assistive robot 100 includes at least one camera device 121-123, a voice input device 131, a display device 141, and a voice output device 151. While not limited to this, in this embodiment, three camera devices 121-123 are provided. The first camera device 121 is located at the tip of the robot arm 102. However, the first camera device 121 may also be located on the end effector 103 or other parts of the robot arm 102. The first camera device 121 can be positioned at any location and in any direction via the robot arm 102, for example, to photograph an object on which the end effector 103 applies force, and output image data, as an example of an image signal, to the control device 106, etc. The first camera device 121 is a camera for capturing still images and / or moving images of digital images, and may also be a three-dimensional camera capable of capturing three-dimensional images including positional information of the subject in the image.

[0046] The second camera device 122 is disposed on the side 101b of the base 101. The side 101b is the side facing forward (FD) of the base 101 of the driving device 104, and the robot arm 102 is disposed near the side 101b. For example, the second camera device 122 is a wide-angle camera that captures still images and / or moving images of digital images, and can be configured to capture images over a wide range from the side 101b in the forward FD and the corresponding radial direction. The second camera device 122 outputs the captured image data to the control device 106.

[0047] The third camera device 123 is disposed on the side 101c of the base 101. The side 101c is the side of the base 101 of the driving device 104 in the rearward direction, i.e., the rear BD, and a storage part 105 is disposed near the side 101c. For example, the third camera device 123 is a wide-angle camera, just like the second camera device 122, and can be configured to capture images over a wide range of radiation directions corresponding to the rearward direction BD from the side 101c. The third camera device 123 outputs the captured image data to the control device 106.

[0048] Furthermore, not all of the camera devices 121 to 123 are necessary structural components. For example, a first camera device 121 capable of changing position and orientation can be used instead of at least one of the camera devices 122 and 123.

[0049] A voice input device 131 is disposed on the side 101b of the base 101. The voice input device 131 accepts voice input, converts the voice into a sound signal, and outputs it to the control device 106. The voice input device 131 can be any device capable of receiving voice input and converting it into a sound signal, such as a microphone. For example, the voice input device 131 can acquire the voice signal of a person undergoing medical procedures, etc.

[0050] Display device 141 is a device for outputting images. For example, display device 141 is a liquid crystal display (LCD) and an organic or inorganic EL display, but is not limited to these. For example, display device 141 can display images from a camera device 33 (see reference 33) disposed in the operation input device 30. Figure 1 The image data of the operator, etc., captured by the camera is displayed as an image.

[0051] The sound output device 151 is a device that outputs sound. The sound output device 151 converts a sound signal into sound and outputs it. The sound output device 151 can be any device capable of converting a sound signal into sound, such as a speaker. For example, the sound output device 151 can output sound from the sound input device 34 (see [link to sound input device]) configured in the operation input device 30. Figure 1 The operator's voice signal is converted into sound and output.

[0052] In this way, the medical assistive robot 100 can hand over medical equipment MD to medical robots 10A and 10B, and enable communication between people near medical robots 10A and 10B and the operator of the operation input device 30. Since the medical assistive robot 100 does not need to perform direct medical actions on the patient, the operator of the operation input device 30 is not limited to medical practitioners.

[0053] like Figure 1As shown, the operation input device 30 includes an input device 31 for receiving input from the operator O and an interface device 32. The interface device 32 includes a camera device 33, a voice input device 34, a display device 35, and a voice output device 36. The structures of the camera device 33, voice input device 34, display device 35, and voice output device 36 are the same as those of the medical assistive robot 100. The camera device 33 captures images of the operator O, etc., and the image data is sent to the medical assistive robot 100 by the operation input device 30. The voice input device 34 receives the voice of the operator O, etc., and the voice signal is sent to the medical assistive robot 100 by the operation input device 30. The display device 35 displays an image corresponding to the image data received by the operation input device 30 from the medical assistive robot 100. The voice output device 36 outputs the voice corresponding to the voice signal received by the operation input device 30 from the medical assistive robot 100.

[0054] The structure of the control device 106 is described below. The control device 106 controls the actions of various structural components of the medical assistive robot 100. For example, the control device 106 includes a computer device. For example, the control device 106 is composed of an arithmetic logic unit (ALU) having a processor and memory. The ALU performs the sending and receiving of information, data, and instructions with other devices. The ALU receives signals from various devices and outputs control signals to each controlled object. The memory is composed of semiconductor memory such as volatile memory and non-volatile memory, as well as storage devices such as hard disks and SSDs (Solid State Drives). For example, the memory stores programs executed by the ALU and various fixed data.

[0055] The functions of the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) can also be implemented by a computer system consisting of a processor such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), volatile memory such as RAM (Random Access Memory), and non-volatile memory such as ROM (Read-Only Memory). Alternatively, the computer system can use the CPU to execute programs stored in ROM using RAM as its working area to implement the ALU's functions. Furthermore, some or all of the ALU's functions can be implemented by the aforementioned computer system, by dedicated hardware circuits such as electronic circuits or integrated circuits, or by a combination of the aforementioned computer system and hardware circuits. The control device 106 can execute each process through centralized control of a single computer device, or through distributed control through the cooperation of multiple computer devices.

[0056] For example, the various functions of the control device 106 can be implemented using circuits such as LSI (Large Scale Integration) and system LSI. Multiple functions of the control device 106 can be individually monolithized, and can be monolithized to include some or all of them. Furthermore, the circuits can be general-purpose circuits or special-purpose circuits. As the LSI, an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) that can be programmed after LSI fabrication, a reconfigurable processor that can connect and / or configure the circuit units within the reconfigurable LSI, or an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) that integrates multiple functional circuits for a specific purpose can be used.

[0057] Explain the functional structure of the control device 106. Figure 4 This is a block diagram illustrating an example of the functional structure of a medical assistive robot 100 according to an implementation method. For example... Figure 4 As shown, the control device 106 functionally includes a mode determination unit 1601, an automatic operation command unit 1602, a manual operation command unit 1603, a travel command unit 1604, an arm drive control unit 1605, a tool drive control unit 1606, a travel drive control unit 1607, an information processing unit 1608, a path determination unit 1609, a position detection unit 1610, a first image processing unit 1611, a second image processing unit 1612, a third image processing unit 1613, a first sound processing unit 1614, a second sound processing unit 1615, a release control unit 1616, and a storage unit 1620 as structural elements. The function of the storage unit 1620 is implemented by a memory. Functions other than those of the storage unit 1620 are implemented by a processor, etc. The entirety of the above structural elements is not essential.

[0058] Storage unit 1620 stores various types of information, enabling the stored information to be retrieved. For example, storage unit 1620 may also store programs and various fixed data. Storage unit 1620 may also be configured to store map data of the medical treatment room MTR, as well as map data of structures such as buildings containing the medical treatment room MTR, and to receive map data updates when information in the map data changes. Storage unit 1620 may also store information received by control device 106 from medical robots 10A and 10B. Storage unit 1620 may also store image data transmitted from each camera device to control device 106, and sound signals transmitted from each sound output device to control device 106.

[0059] The mode determination unit 1601 determines the operation mode of the medical assistance robot 100 based on the instructions received from the operation input device 30. The operation modes include: an automatic operation mode, in which the medical assistance robot 100 automatically, i.e., autonomously, performs prescribed actions according to a program; and a manual operation mode, in which the medical assistance robot 100 performs actions corresponding to operation instructions received from the operation input device 30. Operation instructions are instructions corresponding to operations input to the operation input device 30 for the purpose of manually operating the medical assistance robot 100.

[0060] The automatic operation command unit 1602 operates in automatic control mode, outputting motion commands to the arm drive control unit 1605 and the tool drive control unit 1606 to automatically execute predetermined actions set in the program for the robot arm 102 and the end effector 103. The motion commands are instructions for moving the arm drive devices AM1 to AM6 of the robot arm 102 and the tool drive device 103a of the end effector 103.

[0061] The manual operation command unit 1603 operates in manual mode, outputting motion commands to the arm drive control unit 1605 and the tool drive control unit 1606 to enable the robot arm 102 and the end effector 103 to perform actions corresponding to the operation commands.

[0062] The driving command unit 1604 outputs a motion command to the driving drive control unit 1607 to operate the driving drive device 104b of the driving device 104. In automatic operation mode, the driving command unit 1604 outputs a motion command to automatically drive the driving device 104 along a programmed path. For example, the programmed path can also be a path determined by the path determination unit 1609. Using information about the position, attitude, and path of the base 101 detected by the position detection unit 1610, the driving command unit 1604 outputs a motion command including the moving direction, orientation, speed, and acceleration of the base 101. In manual operation mode, the driving command unit 1604 outputs a motion command to drive the driving device 104, using the moving direction, orientation, speed, and acceleration of the base 101 corresponding to the operation command.

[0063] The arm drive control unit 1605 controls the arm drive devices AM1 to AM6 to perform actions according to the motion commands received from each operation command unit. The arm drive control unit 1605 uses the rotation amount of each servo motor of the arm drive devices AM1 to AM6 as feedback information to control the rotation amount and rotation speed of each servo motor, and uses the current value of each servo motor as feedback information to control the rotation torque of each servo motor.

[0064] The tool drive control unit 1606 controls the tool drive device 103a to perform actions according to the action commands received from each operation command unit. The tool drive control unit 1606 uses the rotation amount and current value of the servo motor of the tool drive device 103a as feedback information to control the drive of the servo motor.

[0065] The driving control unit 1607 controls the driving drive device 104b to perform actions according to the action commands received from the driving command unit 1604. The driving control unit 1607 uses the rotation amount and current value of the servo motor of the driving drive device 104b as feedback information to control the drive of the servo motor.

[0066] The information processing unit 1608 processes robot information received from medical robots 10A and 10B, which serves as information for medical robots 10A and 10B, and outputs it to the structural element corresponding to the robot information. Furthermore, the information processing unit 1608 stores part or all of the robot information in the storage unit 1620. For example, the robot information may include identification information such as the IDs of medical robots 10A and 10B, instructions from medical robots 10A and 10B, the types of medical robots 10A and 10B such as their models, the types of end effectors 12A and 14B installed, and information such as the position and orientation of medical robots 10A and 10B. For example, the instructions may include instructions for requesting or replacing the end effectors 12A and 14B of medical robots 10A and 10B, instructions for requesting, recycling, or replacing the medical devices MD used in the end effectors 12A and 14B of medical robots 10A and 10B, instructions for delivering the loading device MDA to medical robots 10A and 10B, and instructions for delivering the loading device MDA from medical robots 10A and 10B, etc. Furthermore, the information processing unit 1608 sends part or all of the robot information to the operation input device 30.

[0067] Additionally, in this specification and the scope of the claims, "location information" and "location information" can include any one of "location information only", "location and orientation information" and "location and attitude information".

[0068] The path determination unit 1609 operates in automatic control mode, determining the path for the medical assistive robot 100 to move to the medical robot 10A or 10B that has received instructions in the robot information. The path determination unit 1609 uses information on the position and orientation of the medical robot 10A or 10B, information on the position and orientation of the base 101 of the medical assistive robot 100, and map data from the medical treatment room MTR to determine the path.

[0069] For example, such as Figure 1As shown, the medical assistance robot 100 sometimes transports the medical device MD stored in the storage unit 105 to the medical robot 10A or 10B according to instructions from the robot information. At this time, the path determination unit 1609 determines the path from the medical assistance robot 100 to the medical robot 10A or 10B.

[0070] For example, such as Figure 5 As shown, sometimes, the medical assistance robot 100, according to instructions from robot information, transports a bed MDA, which is a medical treatment object P carrying a loading device as a medical device MD, to the medical robot 10A or 10B. Figure 5 This is a top view illustrating an example of the operation of the medical assistive robot 100 according to the embodiment. At this time, the path determination unit 1609 determines the path from the medical assistive robot 100 to the medical robot 10A or 10B via the bed MDA. At this time, the robot information includes information such as the identification information and location information of the bed MDA to be transported.

[0071] The position detection unit 1610 uses the detection results received from the position detection device 109 to detect the position and orientation of the base 101 of the medical assistive robot 100. The position detection unit 1610 can also send the position and orientation information of the base 101 to the operation input device 30. Thus, this information can be used to operate the driving device 104 in the operation input device 30.

[0072] The first image processing unit 1611 processes the image data captured by the first camera device 121 of the medical assistive robot 100 and sends it to the operation input device 30.

[0073] The second image processing unit 1612 processes the image data captured by the second camera device 122 and the third camera device 123 of the medical assistive robot 100 and sends it to the operation input device 30. For example, the second image processing unit 1612 may also perform processing such as compositing to synchronously display the image data of the second camera device 122 and the third camera device 123.

[0074] The third image processing unit 1613 processes the image data received from the operation input device 30 and displays it on the display device 141. For example, the third image processing unit 1613 receives image data captured by the camera device 33 of the operation input device 30, processes the image data, and displays it on the display device 141.

[0075] The first sound processing unit 1614 processes the sound signal obtained by the sound input device 131 of the medical assistive robot 100 and sends it to the operation input device 30.

[0076] The second sound processing unit 1615 processes the sound signal received from the operation input device 30 and outputs it to the sound output device 151. For example, the second sound processing unit 1615 receives the sound signal obtained from the sound input device 34 of the operation input device 30, processes the sound signal, and outputs it to the sound output device 151.

[0077] The release control unit 1616 controls the operation of the release unit 110b of the disinfection device 110. For example, the release control unit 1616 causes the release unit 110b to release disinfectant to the robotic arms 11A and manipulators 13B of medical robots 10A and 10B, as well as the end effectors 12A and 14B. The release control unit 1616 can automatically cause the release unit 110b to perform the release action according to instructions from the robot information, or it can perform the release action according to instructions from the operation input device 30. For example, the release control unit 1616 can cause the release unit 110b to perform the release action during the replacement of end effectors 12A and 14B, or the timing of the replacement of medical devices MD in end effectors 12A and 14B.

[0078] The control device 106 described above controls the robot arm 102, the end effector 103, and the driving device 104, enabling the medical assistive robot 100 to perform various actions for assisting medical robots 10A and 10B in medical procedures.

[0079] For example, the control device 106 can control the movement of the driving device 104 to the medical robots 10A and 10B. At this time, the control device 106 can be controlled using either an automatic operation mode or a manual operation mode.

[0080] Furthermore, the control device 106 can control the robotic arm 102 and the end effector 103 to perform holding actions that hold the medical device MD within the storage section 105 of the medical assistive robot 100 onto the medical robot 10A or 10B, and to release the medical device MD from the medical robot 10A or 10B. For example, exchanging the medical device MD is also possible. In this case, the control device 106 can perform control in either an automatic operation mode or a manual operation mode. For example, the control device 106 can perform driving control of the driving device 104 reaching the medical robot 10A or 10B in automatic operation mode, and perform holding and releasing actions in manual operation mode. Therefore, even when the holding and releasing actions involve complex movements, reliable execution is possible.

[0081] For example, when performing a holding action and releasing the holding action, firstly, the control device 106 can automatically move the robot arm 102 and the end effector 103 so that the end effector 103 or the medical device MD held by the end effector 103 approaches the medical robot 10A or 10B.

[0082] Then, the control device 106 can move the robot arm 102 and the end effector 103 according to the operation instructions of the operation input device 30, thereby performing a holding action or releasing the holding action by manual manipulation. At this time, the control device 106 can also store the action instructions and / or action information of the robot arm 102 and the end effector 103 according to the operation instructions of the operation input device 30 in the storage unit 1620.

[0083] Alternatively, the control device 106 may also cause the robot arm 102 and the end effector 103 to move according to the motion instructions and / or motion information stored in the storage unit 1620, thereby performing holding motion or releasing holding motion through automatic manipulation.

[0084] Furthermore, the control device 106 can also be configured to learn and maintain actions and release actions. For example, the control device 106 can also be configured to accept the operator O's operation input device 30 when performing a maintaining action or releasing an action by automatic manipulation, and correct the actions of the robot arm 102 and / or the end effector 103 in execution corresponding to the input operation. At this time, the control device 106 can update the action commands and / or action information stored in the storage unit 1620 using the action commands and / or action information corresponding to the corrected actions of the robot arm 102 and / or the end effector 103.

[0085] Subsequently, when the control device 106 performs holding and releasing actions through automatic manipulation, it can also move the robot arm 102 and the end effector 103 according to the updated action commands and / or action information stored in the storage unit 1620. Furthermore, if the operator O's actions using the operation input device 30 are corrected again during execution, the control device 106 can update the action commands and / or action information stored in the storage unit 1620 again using the action commands and / or action information corresponding to the corrected actions of the robot arm 102 and / or the end effector 103. In this way, by repeatedly updating the action commands and / or action information, action commands and / or action information that enable more precise or skillful holding and releasing actions are stored in the storage unit 1620. That is, the control device 106 can learn holding and releasing actions. The control device 106 can also perform the same control as the aforementioned holding and releasing actions for other actions of the medical assistive robot 100.

[0086] Furthermore, the control device 106 is configured to receive information from a designated medical robot 10A or 10B, and based on the robot information of the medical robot 10A or 10B, the control device 106 is capable of performing control of at least one of the aforementioned holding action and releasing action. That is, the control device 106 is capable of operating in an automatic operation mode.

[0087] Furthermore, the control device 106 can hold the loading equipment MDA, such as the bed carrying the patient, on the end effector 103 and control the movement device 104 to move to the medical robot 10A or 10B. At this time, the control device 106 can operate in either an automatic operation mode or a manual operation mode.

[0088] For example, the control device 106 is configured to receive information of a designated loading device MDA and robot information of a designated medical robot 10A or 10B, and based on the information of the loading device MDA and the robot information, it can perform the following controls: move the driving device 104 to the loading device MDA, hold the loading device MDA on the end effector 103, and move the driving device to move the loading device MDA to the medical robot 10A or 10B.

[0089] In addition, the control device 106 is capable of receiving sound signals from the operation input device 30 of the medical assistive robot 100 and controlling the sound output device 151 of the medical assistive robot 100 to output sounds corresponding to the sound signals.

[0090] In addition, the control device 106 is capable of controlling the output of a sound signal corresponding to the sound received by the sound input device 131 of the medical assistive robot 100 to the operation input device 30 of the medical assistive robot 100.

[0091] In addition, the control device 106 is capable of receiving image signals from the operation input device 30 of the medical assistive robot 100 and outputting the image corresponding to the image signal to the display device 141 of the medical assistive robot 100.

[0092] In addition, the control device 106 is capable of controlling the output of signals of images captured by the camera devices 121-123 to the operation input device 30 of the medical assistive robot 100.

[0093] In addition, the control device 106 can control the output of the position and attitude information of the medical assistive robot 100 detected by the position detection device 109 of the medical assistive robot 100 to the operation input device 30 of the medical assistive robot 100.

[0094] Furthermore, the control device 106 can control the driving device 104 to automatically move to the medical robot 10A or 10B based on the robot information of the medical robot 10A or 10B and the position and posture information of the medical auxiliary robot 100 detected by the position detection device 109.

[0095] Furthermore, the control device 106 can control the release unit 110b of the disinfection device 110 of the medical assistive robot 100 to release disinfectant to the medical robot 10A or 10B. At this time, the control device 106 can operate in either an automatic operation mode or a manual operation mode. For example, the control device 106 can control the release unit 110b to automatically release disinfectant to the medical robot 10A or 10B based on robot information of the medical robot 10A or 10B.

[0096] <Other Implementation Methods>

[0097] The embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, but this disclosure is not limited to the embodiments described above. That is, various modifications and improvements can be made within the scope of this disclosure. For example, various modifications implemented in the embodiments, as well as construction methods that combine structural elements from different embodiments, are also included within the scope of this disclosure.

[0098] For example, in the embodiments, medical assistive robot 100 and medical robots 10A and 10B are configured for wired or wireless communication, but are not limited thereto. For example, medical assistive robot 100 may be configured to communicate with the operation input devices 20A and 20B of medical robots 10A and 10B via wired or wireless communication. Medical robots 10A and 10B may also be configured to communicate with the operation input device 30 of medical assistive robot 100 via wired or wireless communication. Operation input device 30 and operation input devices 20A and 20B may also be configured for wired or wireless communication. Furthermore, light, sound, or a combination thereof may be used as the means of communication between medical assistive robot 100 and medical robots 10A and 10B.

[0099] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the position of the medical assistive robot 100 is detected using a position detection device 109 mounted on the medical assistive robot 100, but it is not limited to this. The position of the medical assistive robot 100 can also be detected using a device disposed externally to the medical assistive robot 100. For example, the position of the medical assistive robot 100 can also be detected by analyzing images taken from an external camera. Alternatively, ranging sensors such as laser sensors, laser writers (Lidar), and ultrasonic sensors can be installed externally to the medical assistive robot 100, and the position of the medical assistive robot 100 can be detected using the measurements from the ranging sensors.

[0100] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the medical assistive robot 100 has one robotic arm 102, but it may also have two or more robotic arms. In this case, the two or more robotic arms can be divided into robotic arms for handling unused medical devices MDs during the treatment of medical patients, and robotic arms for handling used medical devices MDs during the treatment of medical patients. This prevents unused medical devices MDs from being contaminated by the robotic arms and end effectors of the used medical devices MDs during the treatment of medical patients.

[0101] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the medical assistive robot 100 may also have a structure capable of closing and opening the storage section 105. For example, the medical assistive robot 100 may also have a door for opening and closing the storage section 105. This can suppress the contamination of the uncontaminated medical device MD within the storage section 105, and prevent the spread of contamination sources from the contaminated medical device MD.

[0102] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the medical assistive robot 100 is configured to disinfect objects other than the medical assistive robot 100 using the release part 110b of the disinfection device 110, but it is not limited to this. For example, the medical assistive robot 100 may also be configured to be disinfected using the release part 110b.

[0103] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the medical assistive robot 100 has a release portion 110b of the disinfection device 110 on the robot arm 102 or the end effector 103, but is not limited thereto. For example, the medical assistive robot 100 may have release portions 110b on both the robot arm 102 and the end effector 103. The medical assistive robot 100 may also have the release portion 110b in a location other than the robot arm 102 and the end effector 103, replacing the release portion 110b of the robot arm 102 or the end effector 103, or adding the release portion 110b. Thus, the medical assistive robot 100 can use the release portion 110b to disinfect the robot arm 102 and the end effector 103.

[0104] Furthermore, the medical assistive robot 100 of the embodiment can also be configured to have a detachable protective cover. The protective cover can also be configured to cover part or all of the medical assistive robot 100. For example, a protective cover covering a part can cover parts of the medical assistive robot 100 that are time-consuming or difficult to disinfect. Thus, even if there are contaminants in the medical assistive robot 100, the same disinfection effect as the medical assistive robot 100 can be achieved by replacing the protective cover. Therefore, the time required for disinfection is reduced.

[0105] Furthermore, the medical robot system 1 of the embodiment may also have a disinfection device outside the space such as the medical treatment room MTR where the medical assistive robot 100 and medical robots 10A and 10B are arranged. For example, the medical robot system 1 may be adjacent to the medical treatment room MTR and include a disinfection room equipped with disinfection equipment. Furthermore, the medical assistive robot 100 may be configured to pass through the disinfection room before entering the medical treatment room MTR from the outside and after exiting the medical treatment room MTR from the outside, and be disinfected in the disinfection room. As a result, it is possible to prevent contaminants attached to the medical assistive robot 100 from being brought into the medical treatment room MTR and out of the medical treatment room MTR.

[0106] Furthermore, the medical robot system 1 of the embodiment is configured such that the medical assistance robot 100 transports the medical device MD to the medical robots 10A and 10B, but it is not limited to this. For example, the medical assistance robot 100 may also be configured to transport the medical device MD to medical practitioners such as doctors and nurses.

[0107] Furthermore, the medical robot system 1 of the embodiment can be deployed in any location. For example, the medical robot system 1 can be deployed inside buildings such as hospitals, temporary structures such as tents and prefabricated assemblies, and mobile vehicles, or it can be deployed outdoors. For example, the mobile vehicle can also be a medical mobile vehicle such as a hospital ship or a railway vehicle.

[0108] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the robotic arm 102 of the medical assistive robot 100 is configured as a vertical multi-joint robotic arm, but it is not limited to this. For example, the robotic arm 102 may be configured as a horizontal multi-joint type, a polar coordinate type, a cylindrical coordinate type, a rectangular coordinate type, or other types of robotic arms.

[0109] Furthermore, various embodiments of the technology disclosed herein can be exemplified as follows. One embodiment of the medical assistive robot of this disclosure includes: a storage unit capable of storing medical equipment; at least one robotic arm having an end effector at its distal end capable of handling the medical equipment; a driving device capable of supporting and driving the storage unit and the at least one robotic arm; and a control device that controls the driving device to move towards the medical robot performing medical procedures.

[0110] Based on the above method, medical assistive robots can deliver medical equipment to other medical devices. These robots can also perform tasks that assist medical procedures. For example, because medical robots handle patients, they are susceptible to contamination by infectious agents. In cases where a medical robot moves to retrieve medical equipment, disinfection may be necessary each time. Alternatively, the risk of contamination by infectious agents is high when a person holding the medical equipment approaches the robot. Medical assistive robots can reduce the frequency of movement of medical robots and lower the risk of infection for medical workers.

[0111] In a medical assistive robot according to one aspect of the present invention, the control device can control at least one of the following actions: holding action to keep the medical device in the storage section on the medical robot, and releasing action to release the expected device held by the medical robot from the expected robot.

[0112] According to the above method, for example, even if the medical robot does not have a structure for independently holding and releasing the medical device, or the function of performing holding and releasing, the medical assistance robot can still hold and release the medical device. Furthermore, it can prevent the medical robot, which is contaminated by infectious agents, from coming into contact with uncontaminated medical devices within the storage compartment and thus contaminating those devices.

[0113] In one aspect of the medical assistive robot of the present invention, the control device may be configured to receive information about the designated medical robot and, based on the information about the medical robot, control at least one action of performing the holding action and the releasing action.

[0114] According to the above method, the medical assistive robot can automatically perform actions such as transporting, holding, and releasing medical equipment to a designated medical robot.

[0115] In one aspect of the medical assistive robot of the present invention, the end effector may be configured to hold a loading device carrying a person undergoing medical treatment, and the control device holds the loading device carrying the person undergoing medical treatment on the end effector and controls the movement of the driving device to the medical robot.

[0116] Using the above method, the medical robot does not need to move to the loading equipment. This reduces the risk of the spread of infectious disease sources caused by the movement of the medical robot. Furthermore, it eliminates the need for space to move larger medical robots between loading devices, thus making efficient use of space.

[0117] In one aspect of the medical assistive robot of the present invention, the control device can perform the following control: receiving information of a designated loading device and information of a designated medical robot, moving the driving device to the loading device according to the information of the loading device and the information of the medical robot, holding the loading device on the end effector, and moving the driving device to the medical robot.

[0118] Using the above method, medical assistive robots can automatically deliver designated loading equipment to designated medical robots.

[0119] One aspect of the medical assistive robot disclosed herein may further include a wireless communication device that wirelessly communicates with the operation input device of the medical assistive robot.

[0120] Using the above method, medical assistive robots can be operated by remote input devices. This reduces the risk of infection for the operator of the input device.

[0121] One embodiment of the medical assistive robot disclosed herein may further include a first wireless communication device that wirelessly communicates with the operation input device of the medical assistive robot, and a second wireless communication device that wirelessly communicates with the medical robot.

[0122] Using the methods described above, medical assistive robots can be operated via remote input devices. Furthermore, because the medical assistive robot is not wired, its movement is less restricted, allowing for free movement.

[0123] One aspect of the medical assistive robot disclosed herein further includes a sound output device for outputting sound, wherein the control device can perform the following control: receiving a sound signal from the operation input device of the medical assistive robot, and outputting a sound corresponding to the sound signal to the sound output device.

[0124] According to the above method, the medical assistance robot can output sound corresponding to the sound signal output from the operating input device to the patient or other recipient of medical treatment. The medical assistance robot enables communication between the operator of the operating input device and the patient or other recipient of medical treatment.

[0125] One aspect of the medical assistive robot disclosed herein may further include a voice input device for receiving sound input, wherein the control device may control the output of a sound signal corresponding to the sound received by the voice input device to the operation input device of the medical assistive robot.

[0126] According to the above method, the operator of the operation input device can operate the medical assistance robot from a distance, such as when the medical assistance robot is not directly visible, while confirming the voice of the medical treatment subject obtained by the voice input device.

[0127] One aspect of the medical assistive robot disclosed herein further includes a display device for outputting images. The control device can perform the following control: receive image signals from the operation input device of the medical assistive robot, and output an image corresponding to the image signals to the display device.

[0128] According to the above method, a medical assistive robot can display an image corresponding to the image signal output from the operating input device to the patient or other person receiving medical treatment. The medical assistive robot enables communication between the operator of the operating input device and the patient, or between the patient and the medical assistant. For example, the displayed image could be an image of the operator.

[0129] One aspect of the medical assistive robot disclosed herein also includes a camera device, and the control device can control the output of a signal of an image captured by the camera device to the operation input device of the medical assistive robot.

[0130] According to the above method, the operator of the operation input device can operate the medical assistive robot from a distance, such as when the medical assistive robot is not directly visible, while simultaneously viewing the images captured by the camera device.

[0131] One aspect of the medical assistive robot disclosed herein further includes a position detection device for detecting the position of the medical assistive robot, and the control device can perform the following control: outputting the position information of the medical assistive robot detected by the position detection device to the operation input device of the medical assistive robot.

[0132] According to the above method, the operator of the operation input device can confirm the position of the medical assistance robot while using the operation input device to perform operations such as moving the medical assistance robot.

[0133] One aspect of the medical assistive robot disclosed herein further includes a position detection device for detecting the position of the medical assistive robot. The control device may be configured to receive information about the designated medical robot and perform control to move the driving device to the medical robot based on the information about the medical robot and the position information of the medical assistive robot detected by the position detection device.

[0134] Based on the above method, the medical assistance robot can automatically move toward the medical robot according to the information and location of the medical assistance robot.

[0135] One aspect of the medical assistive robot disclosed herein further includes a disinfectant receiving section for containing disinfectant, and a release section disposed on the end effector or the robotic arm for releasing the disinfectant, wherein the control device can control the release section to release the disinfectant to the medical robot.

[0136] Using the methods described above, medical assistive robots can disinfect themselves. For example, by disinfecting the medical robot before it holds a medical device, the contamination of the medical device by the medical assistive robot can be prevented.

[0137] In one embodiment of the medical assistive robot disclosed herein, the control device may be configured to receive information about the designated medical robot and perform control such that, based on the information about the medical robot, the release unit releases the disinfectant to the medical robot.

[0138] Using the above method, the medical assistance robot can automatically disinfect the designated medical robot.

[0139] One aspect of the medical robot system disclosed herein includes a medical assistive robot of one aspect of the present disclosure, an operation input device for the medical assistive robot, and the medical robot.

[0140] According to the above method, the same effect as that of a medical assistive robot of one aspect of this disclosure can be obtained.

[0141] In one aspect of the medical robot system of the present invention, the operation input device of the medical assistive robot may also be configured in a space isolated from the space in which the medical assistive robot and the medical robot are configured.

[0142] According to the above method, even if there are sources of contamination such as infectious disease pathogens in the space where the medical assistive robot and the medical robot are configured, it is possible to prevent the operator of the input device from coming into contact with the source of contamination. Therefore, contamination by the operator can be prevented.

[0143] In one aspect of the medical robot system disclosed herein, the medical robot may be a robot based on a surgical robot, or a robot based on a general-purpose robot other than the surgical robot.

[0144] Based on the above approach, existing surgical robots and general-purpose robots other than surgical robots can be utilized as medical robots. Therefore, when a medical robot system is required, there is no need to manufacture new robots. Consequently, medical robot systems can be configured quickly and easily.

[0145] Furthermore, the ordinal numbers, quantities, and other figures used above are illustrative only for the purpose of specifically illustrating the technology of this disclosure, and this disclosure is not limited to the illustrative figures. Additionally, the connection relationships between structural elements are illustrative only for the purpose of specifically illustrating the technology of this disclosure, and the connection relationships for realizing the functions of this disclosure are not limited to these.

[0146] This disclosure can be implemented in a variety of ways without departing from its essential spirit. The scope of this disclosure is defined by the appended claims compared to the description in the specification; therefore, this embodiment is exemplary and not restrictive. All modifications within the scope of the claims or equivalents thereof are included in the claims.

[0147] Label Explanation

[0148] 1. Medical Robot System

[0149] 10, 10A, 10B Medical Robots

[0150] 30 Operation input device

[0151] 100 Medical Assistive Robots

[0152] 102 robotic arms

[0153] 103 End effector

[0154] 104 Traveling Device

[0155] Storage sections 105, 105A-105D

[0156] 106 Control Device

[0157] 108, 108a, 108b communication devices

[0158] 109 Position Detection Device

[0159] 110 Disinfection Device

[0160] 110a Disinfectant Storage Department

[0161] 110b Release Section

[0162] Camera devices 121-123

[0163] 131 Sound input device

[0164] 141 Display device

[0165] 151 Sound output device

[0166] MD Medical Devices

[0167] MDA loading equipment

Claims

1. A medical robot system, characterized in that, include: Medical robots are used to perform medical procedures; Medical assistive robot, which is used to assist the medical robot; and An operation input device, located in a space isolated from the medical robot and the medical assistive robot, is used to operate the medical assistive robot. The medical assistive robot includes: The storage section is designed to store medical equipment. At least one robotic arm having an end effector at its front end capable of handling the medical device; A driving device that supports the storage unit and the at least one robotic arm and is capable of driving; A first communication device communicates with the operation input device wirelessly; A second communication device that communicates with the medical robot wirelessly; and Control device; The first communication device is used for communication between the control device and the operation input device. The second communication device is used for communication between the control device and the medical robot. The control device performs the following control: The operating mode of the medical assistive robot is determined based on the instructions received from the operation input device via the first communication device. Based on the specified location information of the medical robot and the medical auxiliary robot, the driving device is moved to the medical robot in automatic control mode. Based on the information about the designated medical robot received via the second communication device, at least one of the following actions is executed in automatic operation mode: a holding action that causes the robot arm and the end effector to hold the medical device in the storage compartment onto the medical robot, and a releasing action that causes the medical robot to release the medical device held onto the medical robot. The automatic operation mode is a mode in which the medical assistive robot automatically performs prescribed actions according to a program.

2. The medical robot system according to claim 1, characterized in that, The end effector is configured to hold the loading device that carries the person undergoing medical procedures. The control device performs the following controls: keeps the loading device carrying the medical subject on the end effector and moves the driving device to the medical robot.

3. The medical robot system according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control device is configured to receive information about the designated loading device and information about the designated medical robot, and to perform control based on the information about the loading device and the information about the medical robot, namely, to move the driving device to the loading device, to hold the loading device on the end effector, and to move the driving device to the medical robot.

4. The medical robot system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a sound output device for outputting sound. The control device performs the following control: it receives sound signals from the operation input device of the medical auxiliary robot and outputs the sound corresponding to the sound signals to the sound output device.

5. The medical robot system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a voice input device for receiving voice input. The control device performs the following control: it outputs the sound signal corresponding to the sound received by the sound input device to the operation input device of the medical auxiliary robot.

6. The medical robot system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a display device for the output image. The control device performs the following control: it receives image signals from the operation input device of the medical auxiliary robot and outputs the image corresponding to the image signals to the display device.

7. The medical robot system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a camera device. The control device performs the following control: it outputs the signal of the image captured by the camera device to the operation input device of the medical auxiliary robot.

8. The medical robot system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a position detection device for detecting the position of the medical assistive robot. The control device performs the following control: it outputs the position information of the medical auxiliary robot detected by the position detection device to the operation input device of the medical auxiliary robot.

9. The medical robot system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a position detection device for detecting the position of the medical assistive robot. The control device is configured to receive information specifying the medical robot, and based on the information of the medical robot and the position information of the medical assistive robot detected by the position detection device, to control the movement device to move to the medical robot.

10. The medical robot system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It also includes a disinfectant storage section for storing disinfectant, and a release section disposed on the end effector or the robotic arm for releasing the disinfectant. The control device performs the following control: it causes the release unit to release the disinfectant to the medical robot.

11. The medical robot system according to claim 10, characterized in that, The control device is configured to receive information from the designated medical robot and, based on the information from the medical robot, to control the release unit to release the disinfectant to the medical robot.

12. The medical robot system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The medical robot is either a robot based on a surgical robot or a robot based on a general-purpose robot other than the surgical robot.

Images