Device speed limiting method, minimally invasive surgery robot and readable storage medium

Abstract

The application discloses a device speed limiting method, a minimally invasive surgical robot and a readable storage medium. The device speed limiting method comprises the following steps: acquiring at least one obstacle distance information; and adjusting an upper limit of a device speed based on the obstacle distance information. In the embodiment of the application, the device speed limiting method is used to associate the moving speed of the device with the obstacle distance information and the size of a control signal, different maximum speed limits are set based on the distance between the device and the obstacle, and when the environment is good and the control signal is large, the device can always move at a first speed limit, the transfer efficiency is high, the stability of the moving speed of the device in most cases is ensured, and the influence on the motor and the battery life is small. When the environment is poor, the second speed limit is adjusted based on the actual distance between the device and the obstacle, so that the moving speed of the device is slowed down. The more complex the environment is, the smaller the maximum speed limit of the device is, fine operation of the device by an operator is facilitated, and collision between the device and the obstacle is avoided.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of medical device technology, and in particular to a method for limiting the speed of equipment, a minimally invasive surgical robot, and a readable storage medium. Background Technology

[0002] Minimally invasive surgery refers to surgical procedures performed inside the human body using modern medical instruments and equipment such as laparoscopes and thoracoscopes. Compared to traditional surgical methods, minimally invasive surgery has advantages such as less trauma, less pain, and faster recovery. However, the limitations imposed by the incision size on minimally invasive instruments significantly increase the difficulty of the procedure, and the fatigue and tremors experienced by the surgeon during prolonged operations are amplified. These factors have become key constraints on the development of minimally invasive surgical techniques. With the development of robotics technology, a new technology in the field of minimally invasive medicine—minimally invasive surgical robot technology—has emerged, overcoming these shortcomings while inheriting the advantages.

[0003] A typical minimally invasive surgical robot consists of a surgeon's console, a patient-side trolley, and a display device. The surgeon operates the input device on the surgeon's console and transmits the input to the patient-side trolley, which is connected to remotely operated surgical instruments. Based on the surgeon's input at the surgeon's console, the remotely operated surgical instruments are actuated at the patient-side trolley to perform surgery on the patient, thus establishing a master-slave control relationship between the surgeon's console and the surgical instruments on the patient-side trolley. Due to space and equipment cost considerations, hospitals typically cannot equip themselves with multiple minimally invasive surgical robots. Therefore, the patient-side trolley frequently needs to be moved from one location to another (the surgeon's console also needs to be moved, and the display device sometimes needs to be moved as well, but this is relatively easy, so the focus is on describing the patient-side trolley). For example, the patient-side trolley may be moved from one location in the operating room to another location within the same operating room, or from one operating room to another. However, due to the weight, size, and complex mechanical structure of surgical robots, manual movement is difficult. Therefore, electrically assisted transmission systems have been developed to assist users in moving the patient-side trolley.

[0004] Chinese patent application CN109455218A discloses a control armrest device for an electric mobile platform, comprising: a base, a tension / compression sensor, a sensor mounting base, an armrest-type micro-motion rotatable assembly, and two handle-type micro-motion rotatable assemblies. The armrest-type micro-motion rotatable assembly is rotatably connected to the base in the middle and is also connected to the tension / compression sensor. The tension / compression sensor is fixedly mounted on the base via the sensor mounting base. The two handle-type micro-motion rotatable assemblies are respectively installed at both ends of the armrest-type micro-motion rotatable assembly, and each handle-type micro-motion rotatable assembly contains a torque sensor. The controlled equipment or vehicle is controlled to move linearly at different speeds based on the signal magnitude of the tension / compression sensor.

[0005] However, the above-mentioned patent solutions have at least the following drawbacks:

[0006] (1) Since the handrail is located behind the hand, the column will block the medical staff's view when it is pushed, which may cause a safety accident of collision with obstacles or other people, which is harmful to both people and machines.

[0007] (2) The speed of the hand movement is only related to the pushing and pulling force. Since the pushing and pulling force provided by the hands of medical staff cannot be kept constant, the speed of the hand changes instantaneously, which has an adverse effect on the life of the motor and battery, and the movement is not smooth enough.

[0008] (3) The speed of hand movement is only related to the pushing and pulling force, which cannot guarantee the high efficiency of hand movement. In complex environments (such as many obstacles or narrow passageways), relying on the experience of medical staff to move the hand may lead to problems such as insufficient experience and lack of concentration, which poses certain safety hazards. Summary of the Invention

[0009] To address the shortcomings of existing technologies, this invention provides a device speed limiting method that is smooth, safe, reliable, and efficient, as well as a minimally invasive surgical robot and a readable storage medium.

[0010] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention is implemented through the following technical solutions.

[0011] This application provides a device speed limiting method, including:

[0012] Install a distance sensor on the device to obtain distance information of at least one obstacle;

[0013] The upper limit of the device's movement speed is adjusted based on the obstacle distance information.

[0014] Further specifying, in the above-mentioned device speed limiting method, obtaining distance information of at least one obstacle includes:

[0015] Obtain distance information for multiple obstacles;

[0016] Filter the obstacle distance information with the smallest value;

[0017] Among them, multiple obstacle distance information are based on a unified benchmark at one end of the device, and the upper limit of the device's movement speed is adjusted based on the obstacle distance information with the smallest distance in the device's movement direction.

[0018] Further specifying the above-mentioned device speed limiting method, the adjustment of the upper limit of the device's moving speed based on the obstacle distance information specifically involves:

[0019] When the obstacle distance information is greater than or equal to a preset reference threshold, the upper limit of the device's moving speed is adjusted to the first speed limit;

[0020] When the obstacle distance information is less than the reference threshold, the upper limit of the device's moving speed is adjusted to the second speed limit.

[0021] Further defining the above-mentioned device speed limiting method, wherein the second speed limit is a floating parameter and the parameter value is positively correlated with the obstacle distance information, and the first speed limit is a fixed parameter corresponding to the reference threshold under the correlation between the second speed limit and the obstacle distance information.

[0022] Further specifying, the above-mentioned device speed limiting method, before adjusting the upper limit of the device's moving speed based on the obstacle distance information, further includes:

[0023] Acquire control signals;

[0024] A nominal speed is generated based on the control signal;

[0025] The nominal speed is positively correlated with the control signal.

[0026] Further specifying, the above-mentioned device speed limiting method, after adjusting the upper limit of the device's moving speed to the first speed limit, also includes:

[0027] When the nominal speed is greater than or equal to the first speed limit, the movement of the device is subject to the first speed limit.

[0028] When the nominal speed is less than the first speed limit, the movement action of the device is performed at the nominal speed.

[0029] Further specifying, the above-mentioned device speed limiting method, before adjusting the upper limit of the device's moving speed to the second speed limit, also includes:

[0030] Divide at least one distance interval below the reference threshold;

[0031] Wherein, the second speed limit corresponding to the distance information of the obstacles located within the same distance range is the same.

[0032] Further specifying, the above-mentioned device speed limiting method, after adjusting the upper limit of the device's moving speed to the second speed limit, also includes:

[0033] When the nominal speed is greater than or equal to the second speed limit, the movement of the device is subject to the first speed limit.

[0034] When the nominal speed is less than the second speed limit, the movement of the device is performed at the nominal speed.

[0035] This application also provides a minimally invasive surgical robot, including a master hand and a slave hand, characterized in that the master hand and / or slave hand adopt the device speed limiting method described in any of the above claims.

[0036] This application also provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the device rate limiting method described in any of the above claims.

[0037] This invention has at least the following beneficial effects:

[0038] 1. By linking the device's moving speed with the distance information to obstacles, the instability of human operation is avoided, enabling the device to intelligently adjust its speed to deal with obstacles during movement and improving the safety of the device's movement.

[0039] 2. Based on the distance between the equipment and obstacles, different maximum speed limits are adjusted for the equipment movement. When the environment is good (obstacles in the target direction are far away or even non-existent) and the control signal is strong, the equipment can always maintain the first speed limit, resulting in high transfer efficiency. Changes in the control signal above the first threshold will not affect the speed, which also means that the current of the drive motor is always the same, ensuring the stability of the equipment's movement speed most of the time. Moreover, the change in movement speed is smooth, with little impact on the life of the motor and battery.

[0040] 3. When the environment is poor (obstacles are close in the target direction), the second speed limit is adjusted based on the actual distance between the equipment and the obstacle, thereby slowing down the movement speed of the equipment. At the same time, the more complex the environment (more obstacles or narrow passage space, etc.), the smaller the maximum speed limit of the equipment, which makes it easier for the operator to perform precise operation of the equipment movement and thus avoids collisions between the equipment and obstacles.

[0041] 4. By installing distance sensors on the device to obtain obstacle location information, the minimally invasive surgical robot can avoid obstructing the operator's view. In environments with many or complex obstacles, the robot's movement speed can be adjusted based on the push and pull force applied by the operator and the obstacle location information, thereby avoiding collisions and improving the stability and safety of the robot's movement. Attached Figure Description

[0042] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the device speed limiting method according to an embodiment of this application;

[0043] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the implementation of the device speed limiting method of this application on a minimally invasive surgical robot;

[0044] Figure 3This is a schematic diagram illustrating the implementation of the device speed limiting method of this application on a minimally invasive surgical robot.

[0045] Figure Labels

[0046] Operator-100, Obstacle worker-210, Stool-220, Wall-230, Door frame-240, First sensor-310, Second sensor-320, Third sensor-330, Base-410, Column-420, Robotic arm-430, Machine movement platform-440, Handrail-450, Rear obstacle distance-L1, First forward obstacle distance-L2, Second forward obstacle distance-L3. Detailed Implementation

[0047] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some, not all, of the embodiments of this application. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of this application are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0048] The terms "first," "second," etc., used in the specification and claims of this application are used to distinguish similar objects and not to describe a specific order or sequence. It should be understood that such use of data can be interchanged where appropriate so that embodiments of this application can be implemented in orders other than those illustrated or described herein, and the objects distinguished by "first," "second," etc., are generally of the same class and the number of objects is not limited; for example, a first object can be one or more. Furthermore, in the specification and claims, "and / or" indicates at least one of the connected objects, and the character " / " generally indicates that the preceding and following objects are in an "or" relationship.

[0049] The following description, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, details the device speed limiting method, minimally invasive surgical robot, and readable storage medium provided in this application through specific embodiments and application scenarios.

[0050] like Figures 2 to 3 As shown in the figure, this application embodiment provides a minimally invasive surgical robot, including a master hand and a slave hand. The slave hand includes a base 410, a column 420, a robotic arm 430, an instrument motion platform 440, a handrail 450, and a sensing unit. The column 420 and the handrail 450 are mounted on the base 410, the robotic arm 430 is mounted on the column 420, and the instrument motion platform 440 is mounted on the robotic arm 430 and located away from the end of the third sensor 330.

[0051] The handrail 450 is used to receive the push and pull control force manually applied by the operator 100 to the minimally invasive surgical robot, and the base 410 has a built-in assist system that can provide movement assistance when the hand needs to move. The sensing unit is used to sense the distance between the minimally invasive surgical robot and various obstacles, and the obstacle position information obtained by the sensing unit is associated with the movement speed of the minimally invasive surgical robot.

[0052] To clearly demonstrate the structure of the hand, the robotic arm 430 in the illustration is in an extended state. It is understood that the robotic arm 430 is usually retracted before movement to reduce its size and facilitate movement.

[0053] In this embodiment, the aforementioned minimally invasive surgical robot is used. By acquiring obstacle location information through a sensing unit, in environments with many or complex obstacles, the robot's movement speed can be adjusted based on the pushing and pulling force applied by the operator 100 and the obstacle location information, thereby avoiding collisions and improving the stability and safety of the robot's movement.

[0054] It is understandable that the structure of the hand is not limited to the one mentioned above, as long as it can realize the function of motion control of the minimally invasive surgical robot by the sensing unit.

[0055] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, with the side where the handrail 450 (where the person pushes from the handrail) is located as the rear and the opposite side as the front, a second sensor 320 for sensing the distance between the front of the base 410 and an obstacle is provided on the bottom front side; a first sensor 310 for sensing the distance between the rear of the base 410 and an obstacle is provided on the bottom rear side; and a third sensor 330 for sensing the distance between the column 420 and an obstacle is provided on the front and rear sides of the top of the column 420, respectively.

[0056] Understandably, common obstacles encountered by minimally invasive surgical robots during movement, based on height differences, mainly include people 210, stools 220, walls 230, and door frames 240. Among them, people 210 include patients, their families, etc., which are mobile and uncertain, and are higher than the base 410 but lower than the top of the column 420; stools 220 include round stools, benches, etc., which are the most common items in hospitals, and are higher than the base 410 but lower than the top of the column 420; walls 230 and door frames 240 are architectural features, and are higher than the base 410 and the top of the column 420.

[0057] Correspondingly, the sensing unit can sense the types of obstacles at different heights and orientations. For example, the obstacle person 210 can be detected by the first sensor 310 on the rear side of the base 410, the stool 220 can be detected by the second sensor 320 on the front side of the base 410, and the wall 230 and door frame 240 can be detected by the third sensor 330 on the front side of the base 410.

[0058] It is understandable that the first sensor 310, the second sensor 320, and the third sensor 330 are used to sense obstacles in different directions and at different heights. The obstacle person 210, the stool 220, the wall 230, and the door frame 240 only represent the general characteristics of obstacles at different heights and directions. The specific obstacle scenario is not limited to the above one. Similarly, the setting form of the sensing unit is not limited to the above one, as long as it can realize the perception of obstacles under specific standards.

[0059] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, two first sensors 310 are symmetrically arranged on the rear side of the base 410 about the first sensor 310, and the two first sensors 310 are respectively located at two opposite contour lines on the rear side of the base 410; multiple second sensors 320 are arranged in a horizontal linear array on the front side of the base 410.

[0060] It is understandable that the number and position of the first sensor 310 on the rear side of the base 410 are determined based on the actual use scenario. When the minimally invasive surgical robot moves, the operator 100 needs to stand in the middle of the rear side of the base 410 to push it. The arrangement of the first sensor 310 is to avoid the sensing unit mistaking the operator 100 for an obstacle.

[0061] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, three second sensors 320 are arranged in a horizontal linear array on the front side of the base 410. One of the second sensors 320 is located in the middle of the front side of the base 410, and the other two second sensors 320 are symmetrical about the second sensor 320 in the middle of the base 410. The two symmetrical first sensors 310 are located at the two opposite contour lines on the front side of the base 410.

[0062] Understandably, the first sensor 310, the second sensor 320, and the third sensor 330 use ultrasonic sensors, laser sensors, infrared sensors, etc., and the more sensors arranged, the better, provided that cost and space allow. For example, sensors can also be arranged in the middle of the column 420 to improve the obstacle detection range. At the same time, by using distance sensors set on the front of the base 410 and the column 420, the problem of the column obstructing the view of the personnel is avoided.

[0063] In a preferred embodiment, the assistive system includes a control receiving unit located on the armrest 450 and a drive feedback unit located in the base 410. The control receiving unit receives push and pull control commands from the operator 100, processes them, and outputs corresponding control signals to the drive feedback unit. The drive feedback unit outputs different speeds based on the control signals, thereby driving the movement and stopping of the minimally invasive surgical robot.

[0064] It is understandable that the power assist system has a pre-set mapping relationship between the control signal output by the control receiving unit and the nominal moving speed of the hand (or the nominal motor current of the drive feedback unit), that is, the drive feedback unit is controlled to move forward at different speeds based on the signal magnitude of the control signal.

[0065] Of course, the form in which the control receiving unit receives the push-pull control command from the operator 100 is not limited to one. For example, a push-pull sensor can be used to directly obtain the push-pull force of the operator 100, and then control signals of different intensities can be generated based on the push-pull force. Alternatively, a direct speed parameter setting mode can be used, that is, a speed increase / decrease module can be directly set on the control receiving unit, and control signals of different intensities can be generated based on the speed adjustment of the speed increase / decrease module by the operator 100. As long as the speed control relationship between the control receiving unit and the drive feedback unit can be realized, it will not be elaborated here.

[0066] In a preferred embodiment, the sensing unit can detect the distance to the obstacle in real time or after the control receiving unit receives the control command. It should be noted that since the first sensor 310, the second sensor 320, and the third sensor 330 in the sensing unit are arranged in different positions, the detected distances to the obstacle are different. The sensing unit processes the obstacle distance information obtained by the sensors at different positions, that is, it converts the obstacle information into a unified reference. This unified reference can be set as a rectangle formed by the outline of the base 410 or as a rectangle formed by the overall outline of the minimally invasive surgical robot, thereby improving the movement safety of the minimally invasive surgical robot.

[0067] like Figure 1 As shown in the embodiments of this application, a device speed limiting method is also provided, specifically including:

[0068] S1. Obtain obstacle distance information and control signals;

[0069] S2. Generate the first judgment result of obstacle distance information and reference threshold;

[0070] S3. Generate a second judgment result of the control signal and the first threshold based on the first judgment result, or generate a third judgment result of the control signal and the second threshold.

[0071] S4. Control the moving speed of the device based on the second or third judgment result.

[0072] The obstacle distance information is obtained by the sensing unit, and the magnitude of the control signal is related to the nominal speed of the device. Specifically, the larger the control signal, the greater the nominal speed of the device, and vice versa.

[0073] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned device speed limiting method is used to associate the device's moving speed with obstacle distance information and control signal magnitude, avoiding the instability of human operation, enabling the device to intelligently adjust its speed to deal with obstacles during movement, and improving the device's movement safety.

[0074] In a preferred embodiment, in step S1, the control signal is generated by the control receiving unit on the handrail 450. The control receiving unit directly acquires the pushing and pulling force information of the operator 100 through the push and pull sensor. The magnitude of the pushing and pulling force is positively correlated with the magnitude of the control signal. When there are multiple obstacle distance information acquired, the smallest obstacle distance is taken as the standard.

[0075] In step S2, the reference threshold is the specific judgment value of the obstacle distance. After obtaining the distance information between the device and the obstacle, it is compared with the reference threshold.

[0076] In step S3, if the distance between the device and the obstacle is greater than or equal to the reference threshold, the control signal is compared with the first threshold; if the distance between the device and the obstacle is less than the reference threshold, the control signal is compared with the second threshold.

[0077] The first threshold is a specific judgment value associated with the reference threshold, and the second threshold is less than the first threshold and is a variable judgment value associated with the actual distance between the device and the obstacle. Specifically, the larger the actual distance between the device and the obstacle, the larger the value of the second threshold, and vice versa.

[0078] In step S4, if the distance between the device and the obstacle is greater than or equal to the reference threshold and the control signal is greater than or equal to the first threshold, the device executes the first speed limit (i.e., the maximum speed). At this time, no matter how large the control signal is, its corresponding nominal speed is always equal to the first speed limit. If the distance between the device and the obstacle is greater than or equal to the reference threshold and the control signal is less than the first threshold, the device executes a speed command that is positively correlated with the magnitude of the control signal. That is, the larger the control signal (push-pull force), the faster the device moves, and vice versa. At this time, the nominal speed corresponding to the control signal is equal to the actual moving speed of the device.

[0079] It is understandable that when the distance between the device and the obstacle is greater than or equal to the reference threshold and the control signal is less than the first threshold, the device's moving speed is positively correlated with the magnitude of the control signal. When the magnitude of the control signal is equal to the first threshold, its corresponding nominal speed is exactly equal to the first speed limit. The first speed limit is related to the reference threshold between the device and the obstacle. Therefore, the specific value of the first threshold is actually determined based on the first speed limit. When the correlation between the magnitude of the control signal and the nominal speed is constant, the larger the first speed limit is set, the larger the first threshold is set, and vice versa.

[0080] Of course, since the magnitude of the control signal is positively correlated with the magnitude of the pushing and pulling force of the operator 100, the first threshold should not be set too high. At this time, the positive correlation ratio between the control signal and the magnitude of the pushing and pulling force of the operator 100 can be adjusted to facilitate manual control by the operator 100.

[0081] In this embodiment, the above-mentioned equipment speed limiting method is adopted. Based on the distance between the equipment and the obstacle, different maximum speed limits are adjusted for the equipment's movement speed. When the environment is good (the obstacle in the target direction is far away or there is no obstacle at all) and the pushing and pulling force applied by the operator 100 is large, the equipment can always maintain the first speed limit, resulting in high transfer efficiency. Moreover, changes in the control signal above the first threshold will not affect the speed, which also means that the motor current of the assist system is always the same, ensuring the stability of the equipment's movement speed most of the time. Furthermore, the change in movement speed is smooth, which has little impact on the life of the motor and battery.

[0082] In step S4, if the distance between the device and the obstacle is less than the reference threshold and the control signal is greater than or equal to the second threshold, the device executes the second speed limit (i.e., the temporary maximum speed). At this time, no matter how large the control signal is, its corresponding nominal speed is always equal to the second speed limit. It can be understood that the specific value of the second speed limit is positively correlated with the actual distance between the device and the obstacle. That is, the larger the actual distance between the device and the obstacle, the larger the second speed limit, and vice versa. The second threshold is related to the second speed limit, that is, the second threshold is related to the actual distance between the device and the obstacle.

[0083] If the distance between the device and the obstacle is less than the reference threshold and the control signal is less than the second threshold, the device executes a speed command that is positively correlated with the magnitude of the control signal. That is, the larger the control signal (push-pull force), the faster the device moves, and vice versa. At this time, the nominal speed corresponding to the control signal is equal to the actual speed of the device.

[0084] It is understandable that, as the actual distance between the device and the obstacle decreases constantly when the device moves, the second speed limit also decreases constantly, and the specific frequency of decrease depends on the sampling frequency of the sensing unit.

[0085] Among them, the sampling frequency of the sensing unit can be set to real-time sampling. This sampling method obtains the most accurate distance information, but the real-time calculation is large and the calculation is difficult. In order to simplify the system and facilitate control, the second speed limit and the obstacle distance are associated in an interval. Specifically, the second speed limit value is the same within a certain range of obstacle distance, thereby reducing the calculation difficulty of the second speed limit.

[0086] In this embodiment of the application, the above-mentioned equipment speed limiting method is adopted. When the environment is poor (the obstacle in the target direction is close), the second speed limit is adjusted based on the actual distance between the equipment and the obstacle, thereby slowing down the moving speed of the equipment. At the same time, the more complex the environment (more obstacles or narrow passage space, etc.), the smaller the maximum speed limit of the equipment, which makes it easier for the operator to perform precise operation of the equipment movement, thereby avoiding collisions between the equipment and obstacles.

[0087] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the operator 100 applies a forward thrust F1 to the handrail 450 (corresponding to a control signal less than the first threshold). The sensing unit obtains the distance between the operator and the obstacle stool 220 in the direction of movement as the first positive obstacle distance L2 (less than the reference threshold L0), and the distance between the operator and the obstacle wall 230 and door frame 240 as the second positive obstacle distance L3 (greater than the reference threshold L0). At this time, the system only selects the minimum value, the first positive obstacle distance L2, for judgment. Since the first positive obstacle distance L2 is less than the reference threshold L0, the system calculates and outputs a second speed limit VS2, where VS2 ∝ the first positive obstacle distance L2. Referring to the mapping relationship, the nominal speed corresponding to the thrust F1 is V1. If V1 > VS2 (the control signal corresponding to the thrust F1 is greater than the second threshold), the operator controls the handrail to move forward at the speed of VS2; otherwise, it moves forward at the speed of V1.

[0088] It is understandable that when the thrust F1 increases, the nominal speed V1 increases, and vice versa. Its relationship with the speed of the hand is the same as above. When the thrust F1 increases to exceed the first threshold, the system also uses the second speed limit as the actual speed.

[0089] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the sensing unit obtains the distance between the moving direction and the obstacle wall 230 and door frame 240 as the second positive obstacle distance L3 (greater than the reference threshold L0). The system outputs a first speed limit VS1 (fixed value). According to the mapping relationship, the nominal moving speed corresponding to the thrust F1 is V1. If V1 > VS1 (the control signal corresponding to the thrust F1 is greater than the first threshold), the control hand moves forward at the speed of VS1, otherwise it moves forward at the speed of V1.

[0090] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, the operator 100 applies a backward pulling force F2 to the handrail 450 (corresponding to a control signal greater than the second threshold). The sensing unit obtains the distance between the operator 100 and the obstacle 210 in the direction of movement as the backward obstacle distance L1 (less than the reference threshold L0). Since the backward obstacle distance L1 is less than the reference threshold L0, the system calculates and outputs a second speed limit VS2, where VS2 ∝ the backward obstacle distance L1, thereby controlling the handrail to move backward at a speed of VS2.

[0091] It is understandable that when the pulling force F2 decreases to the point where the corresponding control signal is less than the second threshold, the second speed limit VS2 is no longer used to move backward. Instead, the nominal speed corresponding to the pulling force F2 obtained by the aforementioned mapping relationship is used. The smaller the pulling force F2, the smaller the corresponding moving speed.

[0092] In a preferred embodiment, such as Figure 2 , Figure 3 As shown, since the speed limit of the equipment is positively correlated with the distance between the equipment and the obstacle, the closer the equipment is to the obstacle, the slower the maximum moving speed of the hand, thus ensuring the safety of the equipment and personnel.

[0093] It is important to note that since the distance between the device and the obstacle is generally constantly changing, the second speed limit VS2 is also constantly changing. This requires constant sampling and calculation of the distance between the device and the obstacle. To simplify the system and reduce the amount of computation, the second speed limit VS2 and the obstacle distance are associated in an interval manner. For example, when the obstacle distance is less than the reference threshold L0 but greater than the first forward obstacle distance L2, the second speed limit VS2 is ∝ the first forward obstacle distance L2; when the distance is less than the first forward obstacle distance L2 but greater than the backward obstacle distance L1, the second speed limit VS2 is ∝ the backward obstacle distance L1, and so on.

[0094] It is understandable that the correlation range between the second speed limit VS2 and the distance to the obstacle can be determined based on the control accuracy requirements. The higher the correlation range density, the higher the control accuracy, and vice versa. The specific range division is not limited here.

[0095] This application provides a computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program that, when executed by a processor, implements the steps of the device speed limiting method described above.

[0096] It should be noted that, in this document, the terms "comprising," "including," or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such a process, method, article, or apparatus. Without further limitations, an element defined by the phrase "comprising one..." does not exclude the presence of other identical elements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes that element. Furthermore, it should be noted that the scope of the methods and apparatuses in the embodiments of this application is not limited to performing functions in the order shown or discussed, but may also include performing functions substantially simultaneously or in the reverse order, depending on the functions involved. For example, the described methods may be performed in a different order than described, and various steps may be added, omitted, or combined. Additionally, features described with reference to certain examples may be combined in other examples.

[0097] The embodiments of this application have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, this application is not limited to the specific embodiments described above. The specific embodiments described above are merely illustrative and not restrictive. Those skilled in the art can make many other forms under the guidance of this application without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims, and all of these forms are within the protection scope of this application.

Claims

1. A method for limiting the speed of equipment, characterized in that, include: Install a distance sensor on the device to obtain distance information of at least one obstacle; The maximum moving speed of the device is adjusted based on the obstacle distance information. Obtaining distance information for at least one obstacle includes: Obtain distance information for multiple obstacles; Filter the obstacle distance information with the smallest value; Among them, multiple obstacle distance information are based on a unified benchmark at one end of the device, and the upper limit of the device's movement speed is adjusted by the obstacle distance information with the smallest distance in the direction of device movement; Adjusting the upper limit of the device's moving speed based on the obstacle distance information specifically involves: When the obstacle distance information is greater than or equal to a preset reference threshold, the upper limit of the device's moving speed is adjusted to a first speed limit; When the obstacle distance information is less than the reference threshold, the upper limit of the device's moving speed is adjusted to the second speed limit; Before adjusting the upper limit of the device's moving speed based on the obstacle distance information, the following steps are also included: Acquire control signals; A nominal speed is generated based on the control signal; The nominal speed is positively correlated with the control signal; After adjusting the upper limit of the device's moving speed to the first speed limit, the method further includes: When the nominal speed is greater than or equal to the first speed limit, the movement of the device is subject to the first speed limit. When the nominal speed is less than the first speed limit, the movement of the device shall be performed at the nominal speed; After adjusting the upper limit of the device's moving speed to the second speed limit, the following is also included: When the nominal speed is greater than or equal to the second speed limit, the movement of the device is subject to the first speed limit. When the nominal speed is less than the second speed limit, the movement of the device is performed at the nominal speed.

2. The equipment speed limiting method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second speed limit is a floating parameter and its value is positively correlated with the obstacle distance information. The first speed limit is a fixed parameter corresponding to the reference threshold under the correlation between the second speed limit and the obstacle distance information.

3. The equipment speed limiting method according to claim 1, characterized in that, Before adjusting the upper limit of the device's moving speed to the second speed limit, the following steps are also included: Divide at least one distance interval below the reference threshold; Wherein, the second speed limit corresponding to the distance information of the obstacles located within the same distance range is the same.

4. A minimally invasive surgical robot, comprising a master hand and a slave hand, characterized in that, The master and / or slave hands employ the device speed limiting method described in any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. A computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program, characterized in that, When the computer program is executed by the processor, it implements the steps of the device speed limiting method according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

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