Communication assembly for surgical system

Abstract

The invention relates to a communication assembly for a surgical system. A communication assembly of a medical system includes a cover plate and a circuit board spatially separated from the cover plate by a gap. The one or more point light sources and the plurality of microphone groups are electrically coupled to the circuit board and disposed between the circuit board and the cover plate. The light guide is at least partially disposed between the circuit board and the cover plate and provides at least one light path within the gap to guide and diffuse light. The plurality of shims define an audio pathway that extends through the gap from a first seal that seals to a microphone of one of the microphone groups to a second seal that seals around an audio opening defined in the cover plate.

Description

Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 619,581, filed on January 10, 2024, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0001] The disclosed embodiments relate to medical systems, and more particularly to communication components for surgical systems. Background Art

[0002] Minimally invasive medical techniques, such as laparoscopy, have been used to reduce the amount of non - relevant tissue that may be damaged during a diagnostic or surgical procedure, thereby reducing the patient's recovery time, discomfort, and harmful side effects. Traditionally, these techniques have been performed manually by a surgeon manipulating various surgical instruments within the patient's body, but can now be achieved through the use of a teleoperated robotic system that provides telepresence. Compared to manual techniques, performing minimally invasive surgery using a teleoperated robotic system helps to improve the precision and range of motion of manipulating surgical instruments, but also presents new challenges. One such challenge is effective communication between the patient side and the remote caregiver in an operating room that typically includes a lot of background noise. Summary of the Invention

[0003] A simplified overview of various examples described herein is presented below and is not intended to identify key or important elements or to delineate the scope of the claims.

[0004] According to a first example, a medical system including a communication component is disclosed. The communication component includes a cover plate, a circuit board, one or more point light sources, an optical waveguide, a plurality of microphone groups, and a plurality of gaskets. The cover plate has a patient - facing outer surface extending in a first direction and includes a plurality of audio openings. The circuit board is coupled to the cover plate and is spatially separated from the cover plate by a gap extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction. One or more point light sources are electrically coupled to the circuit board and are disposed between the circuit board and the cover plate. The optical waveguide is at least partially disposed between the circuit board and the cover plate. The optical waveguide provides at least one optical path to guide and diffuse light emitted by the one or more point light sources to the outer surface, wherein the at least one optical path extends in the first direction and the second direction within the gap. A plurality of microphone groups are electrically coupled to the circuit board and are disposed between the circuit board and the cover plate. Each microphone group of the plurality of microphone groups includes a first microphone and a second microphone spaced apart from the first microphone along the first direction outside the first microphone. Each gasket of the plurality of gaskets includes an audio passage that extends from a first seal that seals to one of the first microphone and the second microphone through the gap to a second seal that seals around one of the plurality of audio openings.

[0005] In some examples, multiple microphone groups are arranged in an array having a spoke configuration. In further examples, the multiple microphone groups can include at least four microphone groups.

[0006] In some examples, the multiple spacers include spacers configured for each microphone group. In further examples, each of the spacers defines a cavity configured to receive a first microphone and a second microphone.

[0007] In some examples, a medical system includes an orientation platform having a patient-facing surface, with an outer surface of a cover plate of a communication component exposed along the patient-facing surface of the orientation platform. In further examples, the medical system includes: one or more manipulator arms coupled to the orientation platform, a targeting laser for positioning the orientation platform relative to a patient, and a cover plate and a circuit board that define a central opening therethrough for the targeting laser and / or an electromagnetic shield disposed on a side of the circuit board opposite the cover plate. In further examples, one or more point light sources include a circular array coupled along a perimeter of the circuit board, an optical waveguide includes an unbroken circular perimeter portion that defines a radial optical path for the circular array, and the electromagnetic shield includes an annular spacer disposed behind the circular perimeter of the optical waveguide for ground path protection.

[0008] In some examples, a medical system includes a control system operably coupled to multiple microphone groups, wherein the control system is configured to analyze sounds received from the multiple microphone groups for beamforming. In further examples, the control system is operably coupled to one or more point light sources and is configured to activate the one or more point light sources as an indicator of the user's status.

[0009] Any of the above examples can also include one or more of the following aspects: the cover plate defines a recess in an inner surface, wherein the recess is configured to key multiple spacers relative to multiple audio openings; the medical system includes multiple screens disposed between the multiple spacers and the cover plate, wherein the multiple screens are audiotransparent and resist fluid intrusion; or one or more point light sources are oriented to emit light in a first direction, and at least one optical path of the optical waveguide guides the light from the first direction to a second direction to reach an outer surface.

[0010] According to a second example, a medical system is disclosed that includes an orientation platform and a communication component. The orientation platform has a patient-facing distal surface extending in a first direction, and the communication component extends in a second direction within the orientation platform that is transverse to the first direction. The communication component includes a cover plate, a circuit board, a plurality of microphone groups, a plurality of audio passages, one or more point light sources, and an optical waveguide. The cover plate has an outer surface exposed along the distal surface of the orientation platform and defines a plurality of audio openings. The circuit board is spaced proximally from the cover plate along the second direction by a gap. The plurality of microphone groups are electrically coupled to the circuit board and are disposed within the gap between the circuit board and the cover plate. Each of the plurality of microphone groups includes a first microphone and a second microphone spaced apart from each other in the first direction. The plurality of audio passages are isolated from each other, and each audio passage extends from a first seal that seals to one of the first microphone and the second microphone, through the gap, to a second seal that seals around one of the plurality of audio openings defined in the cover plate. The one or more point light sources are electrically coupled to the circuit board and are disposed within the gap between the circuit board and the cover plate. The optical waveguide is at least partially disposed within the gap between the circuit board and the cover plate and provides at least one optical path to direct and diffuse light emitted by the one or more point light sources to the outer surface.

[0011] In some examples, the plurality of audio passages are defined by one or more gaskets compressed between the circuit board and the cover plate. In further examples, the plurality of microphone groups are disposed in an array having a spoke configuration, and the one or more gaskets include a plurality of gaskets for the plurality of microphone groups; the cover plate defines one or more recesses in an inner surface, the one or more recesses being configured to key the one or more gaskets relative to the plurality of audio openings; and / or the one or more gaskets define cavities configured to receive the plurality of microphones.

[0012] In any of the above examples, the medical system can include one or more of the following aspects: the one or more point light sources are oriented to emit light in the first direction, and at least one optical path of the optical waveguide directs the light from the first direction to the outer surface; the medical system includes an electromagnetic shield disposed proximally to the circuit board; or the medical system includes a control system operably coupled to the plurality of microphone groups and the one or more point light sources, wherein the control system is configured to analyze sounds received from the plurality of microphone groups for beamforming and to energize the one or more point light sources as an indicator of the user's status.

[0013] In any of the above examples, the medical system further includes an electromagnetic shield disposed on a side of the circuit board opposite the cover plate.

[0014] In any of the above examples, the one or more point light sources include a circular array coupled along the perimeter of the circuit board; the light guide includes a complete circular perimeter portion defining a radial light path for the circular array; and the electromagnetic shield includes an annular gasket disposed behind the circular perimeter of the light guide for ground path protection.

[0015] In any of the above examples, the medical system further includes a targeting laser for positioning the orientation platform relative to the patient; and wherein the cover plate and the circuit board define a central opening therethrough for the targeting laser.

[0016] In any of the above examples, the medical system further includes a control system operatively coupled to the plurality of microphone groups, the control system being configured to analyze sounds received from the plurality of microphone groups for beamforming.

[0017] In any of the above examples, the control system is further operatively coupled to the one or more point light sources, the control system being configured to energize the one or more point light sources as an indicator of the user's status.

[0018] A medical system is disclosed that includes: an orientation platform having a patient-facing distal surface extending in a first direction; a communication assembly extending in a second direction transverse to the first direction within the orientation platform, the communication assembly including: a cover plate having an outer surface exposed along the distal surface of the orientation platform, the cover plate defining a plurality of audio openings; a circuit board spaced proximally from the cover plate in the second direction by a gap; a plurality of microphone groups electrically coupled to the circuit board and disposed within the gap between the circuit board and the cover plate, each microphone group of the plurality of microphone groups including a first microphone and a second microphone spaced apart from each other in the first direction; a plurality of audio paths isolated from each other, each audio path extending from a first seal sealingly coupled to one of the first microphone and the second microphone through the gap, to a second seal sealingly surrounding one of the plurality of audio openings defined in the cover plate; one or more point light sources electrically coupled to the circuit board and disposed within the gap between the circuit board and the cover plate; and a light guide at least partially disposed within the gap between the circuit board and the cover plate, the light guide including at least one light path to direct and diffuse light emitted by the one or more point light sources to the outer surface.

[0019] In any of the above examples, the plurality of audio paths are defined by one or more gaskets compressed between the circuit board and the cover plate.

[0020] In any of the above examples, the plurality of microphone groups are arranged in an array having a spoke configuration; and the one or more spacers include a plurality of spacers for the plurality of microphone groups.

[0021] In any of the above examples, the cover plate defines one or more recesses in an inner surface, the one or more recesses being configured to bond the one or more spacers relative to the plurality of audio openings; and the one or more spacers define cavities configured to receive the plurality of microphones.

[0022] In any of the above examples, the one or more point light sources are directed to emit light in the first direction; and the at least one light path of the light guide guides the light from the first direction to the outer surface.

[0023] In any of the above examples, the medical system further includes an electromagnetic shield disposed proximal to the circuit board.

[0024] In any of the above examples, the medical system further includes a control system operably coupled to the plurality of microphone groups and the one or more point light sources, the control system being configured to: analyze sounds received from the plurality of microphone groups for beamforming; and activate the one or more point light sources as an indicator of the user's status.

[0025] It should be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory in nature and are intended to provide an understanding of the present disclosure without limiting the scope of the present disclosure. In this regard, additional aspects, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a robotic-assisted manipulator system according to some examples.

[0027] Figure 2A is a schematic diagram of an instrument system according to the examples described herein.

[0028] Figure 2B shows a distal portion of an instrument system having an example of an extended instrument according to the examples described herein Figure 2A of the instrument system.

[0029] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a manipulator system according to the examples described herein.

[0030] Figure 4 is a top view of a manipulator system according to the examples described herein.

[0031] Figure 5A is an exploded perspective view of a communication component for a medical system according to the examples described herein.

[0032] Figure 5B is a cross-sectional side view of a communication component according to an example described herein Figure 5A of the communication component

[0033] Figure 5C is a cross-sectional side view of a point light source and a portion of an optical waveguide of a communication component according to an example described herein Figure 5A of the communication component

[0034] Figure 5D is Figure 5A a top plan view of a circuit board of a communication component showing a point light source and a microphone array coupled to the circuit board according to an example described herein

[0035] Figure 5E is a perspective view of a gasket defining an audio path of a communication component according to an example described herein Figure 5A of the communication component

[0036] Figure 5F is a cross-sectional view of a gasket according to an example described herein Figure 5E of the gasket

[0037] Figure 5G is a top perspective view of a cover plate of a communication component according to an example described herein Figure 5A of the communication component

[0038] Figure 5H is an exploded perspective view of a communication component according to an example described herein, the communication component including an electromagnetic shield and a second circuit board Figure 5A of the communication component

[0039] Figure 5I is a bottom perspective view of an orientation platform according to an example described herein, the orientation platform having a manipulator arm coupled thereto, wherein Figure 5A a communication component of

[0040] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of a medical system according to an example described herein

[0041] Embodiments of the present disclosure and their advantages can be best understood by reference to the following detailed description. It should be understood that the same reference numerals are used to identify the same elements shown in one or more of the figures, wherein the illustration thereof is for the purpose of illustrating embodiments of the present disclosure and not for the purpose of limiting the embodiments of the present disclosure DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] In the following description, specific details of some embodiments consistent with the present disclosure are set forth. To provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments, numerous specific details are set forth. However, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that some embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. The specific embodiments disclosed herein are intended to be illustrative and not limiting. One of ordinary skill in the art may implement other elements, which are not specifically described herein but are within the scope and spirit of the present disclosure. Additionally, to avoid unnecessary repetition, one or more features shown and described in connection with one embodiment may be incorporated into other embodiments, unless specifically described otherwise, or if one or more features would render the embodiment inoperative. In some instances, well-known methods, procedures, components, and circuits are not described in detail so as not to unnecessarily obscure aspects of the embodiments.

[0043] The present disclosure describes various instruments and portions of instruments in terms of their states in three-dimensional space. As used herein, the term "position" refers to the orientation of an object or a portion of an object in three-dimensional space (e.g., three translational degrees of freedom along the Cartesian x, y, and z coordinates). As used herein, the term "orientation" refers to the rotational placement of an object or a portion of an object (e.g., one or more rotational degrees of freedom, such as roll, pitch, and yaw). As used herein, the term "pose" refers to the position of an object or a portion of an object in at least one translational degree of freedom, and the orientation of the object or the portion of the object in at least one rotational degree of freedom (e.g., up to six total degrees of freedom). As used herein, the term "shape" refers to a set of poses, positions, and / or orientations measured along an object. As used herein, the term "distal" refers to a position closer to the procedure site, while the term "proximal" refers to a position farther from the procedure site. Thus, when an instrument is designed to perform a procedure, the distal portion or end of the instrument is closer to the procedure site than the proximal portion or end of the instrument.

[0044] Medical systems, such as surgical manipulator systems, are typically used in an operating room, which may have a high level of background noise. Thus, communication between the patient side and any remote caregiver may be difficult. The systems and methods described herein advantageously include a patient-side communication component having a microphone array that permits triangulation / beamforming. With this configuration, the sound on the patient side can be isolated and, in some examples, amplified and broadcast to a remote caregiver to ensure that communication between the patient side and the remote caregiver is maintained, regardless of the direction of the sound and the orientation of the system components.

[0045] The communication component is suitable for patient-facing devices (such as overhead devices). For example, the communication component is fixed from the proximal side through the patient-facing surface without fasteners, is made of a cleanable material and prevents fluid from invading the communication component, is not restricted by orientation, surgery or user movement, and is capable of operating without external audio shielding, allowing the positioning of drapery and other operating room requirements as needed.

[0046] The communication component includes a circuit board and a cover plate. Due to the components mounted on the circuit board and the operating requirements for these components, the circuit board is spaced apart from the cover plate by a certain distance. For example, the communication component includes one or more point light sources and multiple microphone groups electrically coupled to the circuit board. The light guide of the interface component is at least partially disposed between the cover plate and the circuit board to guide the light emitted from the point light source to the outside of the interface component (e.g., the patient-facing direction). Due to this configuration, the microphones are spaced apart from the dedicated audio openings defined in the cover plate. To enable the microphones to be used for triangulation / beamforming, the interface component further includes a spacer extending between the cover plate and the circuit board to provide an isolated audio path between the audio openings defined in the cover plate and the corresponding microphones.

[0047] The medical system can include an orientation platform, and in some examples, includes one or more manipulator arms extending from the orientation platform. The orientation platform can move relative to the patient to be positioned at a desired position and orientation. In these examples, the communication component is disposed within the patient-facing surface of the orientation platform. In some examples, the surgical manipulator system is configured such that the orientation platform is disposed above the patient on the bed, such that the patient-facing surface of the orientation platform is the lower surface of the orientation platform.

[0048] Aspects disclosed herein can be part of a computer-assisted remote operation manipulator system (sometimes also referred to as a robotic-assisted manipulator system or a robotic system). The manipulator system can include one or more manipulators that can be operated with the assistance of an electronic controller (such as a computer) when coupled to the manipulators to move and control the functions of one or more instruments.

[0049] Figure 1 An embodiment of a robotic-assisted manipulator system used with the tools described herein is shown. The manipulator system can be used for, for example, surgery, diagnosis, treatment, biopsy or non-medical procedures, and is generally indicated by the reference numeral 100. As Figure 1As shown, the robotic-assisted manipulator system 100 may include one or more manipulator components 102 for operating one or more medical device systems 104 when performing various procedures on a patient P positioned on a table T in a medical environment 101. For example, the manipulator component 102 may drive catheter or end effector movement, may apply treatment to a target tissue, and / or may manipulate control members. The manipulator component 102 may be a remotely operated, non-remotely operated, or hybrid remotely operated and non-remotely operated component, having selected degrees of freedom of movement that may be motorized and / or remotely operated and selected degrees of freedom of movement that may be non-motorized and / or non-remotely operated. The operator input system 106 may be inside or outside the medical environment 101 and generally includes one or more control devices for controlling the manipulator component 102. The manipulator component 102 supports the medical device system 104 and may optionally include a plurality of actuators or motors that drive inputs on the medical device system 104 in response to commands from the control system 112. The actuators may optionally include a drive system that, when coupled to the medical device system 104, may advance the medical device system 104 into a natural or surgically created body orifice. Other drive systems may move the distal end of the medical device in multiple degrees of freedom, which may include three linear degrees of movement (e.g., linear movement along the X, Y, Z Cartesian axes) and three rotational degrees of movement (e.g., rotation about the X, Y, and Z Cartesian axes). The manipulator component 102 may support various other systems for irrigation, treatment, or other purposes. Such systems may include fluid systems (including, for example, reservoirs, heating / cooling elements, pumps, and valves), generators, lasers, interrogators, and ablation components.

[0050] The robotic-assisted manipulator system 100 further includes a display system 110 for displaying images or representations of the surgical site and the medical device system 104 generated by an imaging system 109, which may include an imaging system such as an endoscopic imaging system. The display system 110 and the operator input system 106 may be oriented such that an operator O may control the medical device system 104 and the operator input system 106 with a sense of telepresence. A graphical user interface may be displayed on the display system 110 and / or on the display system of a separate planning workstation.

[0051] In some examples, the endoscopic imaging system components of the imaging system 109 can be integrally or removably coupled to the medical device system 104. However, in some examples, a separate imaging device (such as an endoscope) attached to a separate manipulator assembly can be used with the medical device system 104 to image a surgical site. The endoscopic imaging system 109 can be implemented as hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof that interacts with or is otherwise executed by one or more computer processors, which can include the processor of the control system 112.

[0052] The robotic-assisted manipulator system 100 can also include a sensor system 108. The sensor system 108 can include a position / orientation sensor system (e.g., an actuator encoder or an electromagnetic (EM) sensor system) and / or a shape sensor system (e.g., an optical fiber shape sensor) for determining the position, orientation, velocity, rate, pose, and / or shape of the medical device system 104. The sensor system 108 can also include temperature, pressure, force, or contact sensors, etc.

[0053] The robotic-assisted manipulator system 100 can also include a control system 112. The control system 112 includes at least one memory 116 and at least one computer processor 114 for implementing control between the medical device system 104, the operator input system 106, the sensor system 108, and the display system 110. The control system 112 also includes programming instructions (e.g., a non-transitory machine-readable medium storing the instructions) to implement procedures using the robotic-assisted manipulator system, including for navigation, steering, imaging, engaging feature deployment or retraction, applying treatment to target tissue (e.g., via the application of energy), etc.

[0054] The control system 112 can also optionally include a virtual visualization system to provide navigation assistance to the operator O when controlling the medical device system 104 during an image-guided surgical procedure. Virtual navigation using the virtual visualization system can be based on a reference to a preoperative or intraoperative data set of the acquired anatomical pathway. The virtual visualization system processes images of the surgical site imaged using imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), fluoroscopy, thermography, ultrasound, optical coherence tomography (OCT), thermal imaging, impedance imaging, laser imaging, nanotube X-ray imaging, etc. The control system 112 can use the preoperative images to locate the target tissue (using visual imaging techniques and / or by receiving user input) and create a preoperative plan, including the optimal first orientation for performing the treatment. The preoperative plan can include, for example, the planned size of an expandable device, the treatment duration, the treatment temperature, and / or multiple deployment orientations.

[0055] Figure 2AIllustrates a medical device system 200 according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the medical device system 200 can be used for image-guided medical procedures. In some examples, the medical device system 200 can be used for non-remotely operated exploratory procedures, or for procedures involving traditional manually operated medical devices such as endoscopes. In some embodiments, the medical device system 200 is capable of being interchangeable with or a variant of Figure 1 the medical device system 104.

[0056] The medical device system 200 includes an elongate flexible device 202 coupled to a drive unit 204, such as a flexible catheter or an endoscope (e.g., a gastroscope, a bronchoscope). The elongate flexible device 202 includes a flexible body 216 having a proximal end 217 and a distal end (or tip portion) 218. In some embodiments, the flexible body 216 has an outer diameter of approximately 14 - 20 mm. Other flexible body outer diameters can be larger or smaller. The flexible body 216 can have an appropriate length to reach certain portions of the anatomical structure when the flexible body 216 is inserted into the patient's mouth or nasal cavity, such as the lungs, sinuses, throat, or upper or lower gastrointestinal regions.

[0057] The medical device system 200 optionally includes a tracking system 230 for determining the position, orientation, velocity, rate, pose, and / or shape of the distal end 218 and / or one or more segments 224 along the flexible body 216 using one or more sensors and / or imaging devices. The entire length of the flexible body 216 between the distal end 218 and the proximal end 217 can be effectively divided into segments 224. The tracking system 230 can optionally be implemented as hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof that interacts with or is otherwise executed by one or more computer processors, and the one or more computer processors can include Figure 1 the processor of the control system 112 in

[0058] The tracking system 230 can optionally use a shape sensor 222 to track the distal end 218 and / or one or more of the segments 224. In some embodiments, the tracking system 230 can optionally and / or additionally use a position sensor system 220 (e.g., an electromagnetic (EM) sensor system) to track the distal end 218. In some examples, the position sensor system 220 can be configured and positioned to measure six degrees of freedom, such as three position coordinates X, Y, Z and three orientation angles indicating pitch, yaw, and roll of a reference point, or five degrees of freedom, such as three position coordinates X, Y, Z and two orientation angles indicating pitch and yaw of a reference point.

[0059] The flexible body 216 includes one or more channels 221 sized and shaped to receive one or more medical devices 226. In some embodiments, the flexible body 216 includes two channels 221 for individual devices 226, however, a different number of channels 221 may be provided. Figure 2B Figure 2B is a simplified diagram of a flexible body 216 with an extended medical device 226 according to some embodiments. In some embodiments, the medical device 226 can be used for procedures and aspects of procedures such as surgery, biopsy, ablation, mapping, imaging, illumination, irrigation, or aspiration. The medical device 226 can be deployed through the channel 221 of the flexible body 216 and used at a target orientation within an anatomical structure. The medical device 226 can include, for example, an image capture device, a biopsy instrument, an ablation instrument, a catheter, a laser ablation fiber, and / or other surgical, diagnostic, or therapeutic tools. The medical tool can include an end effector having a single working member such as a scalpel, a blunt blade, a lens, an optical fiber, an electrode, etc. Other end effectors can include, for example, forceps, graspers, balloons, needles, scissors, clip appliers, etc. Other end effectors can also include electrically activated end effectors such as electrosurgical electrodes, transducers, sensors, imaging devices, etc. The medical device 226 can be advanced from the opening of the channel 221 to perform a procedure and then retracted into the channel when the procedure is complete. The medical device 226 can be removed from the proximal end 217 of the flexible body 216 or along the flexible body 216 from another optional instrument port (not shown). The medical device 226 can be used in conjunction with an image capture device (such as an endoscopic camera) also within the elongated flexible device 202. Alternatively, the medical device 226 itself can be an image capture device.

[0060] The medical device 226 may also accommodate a cable, linkage, or other actuation control device (not shown) that extends between its proximal and distal ends to controllably bend the distal end of the medical device 226. The flexible body 216 may also accommodate a cable, linkage, or other steering control device (not shown) that extends between the drive unit 204 and the distal end 218 to controllably bend the distal end 218, as depicted by the dashed depiction 219 of the distal end 218, for example. In some examples, at least four cables are used to provide independent "up and down" steering to control the pitch motion of the distal end 218 and "left and right" steering to control the yaw motion of the distal end 218. In embodiments where the medical device system 200 is actuated by a robotic assist component, the drive unit 204 may include a drive input that removably couples to and receives power from a drive element (such as an actuator) of the remote operation component. In some embodiments, the medical device system 200 may include a grasping feature, a manual actuator, or other components for manually controlling the movement of the medical device system 200. Information from the tracking system 230 may be sent to the navigation system 232, where it is combined with information from the visualization system 231 and / or a preoperatively obtained model to provide real-time position information to a doctor or other operator.

[0061] Other configurations of the remote operation manipulator system are also contemplated, such as systems configured for multi-port or single-port procedures. For example, the embodiments described herein may be used with the da Vinci® Surgical System (such as the da Vinci X®, Xi®, or SP® Surgical System, all of which are commercialized by Intuitive Surgical, Inc. of Sunnyvale, California).

[0062] Figure 3 An example embodiment of a manipulator system 300 that may be used as part of the manipulator system 100 is shown. The manipulator system 300 includes a base 320, a main column 340, and a main boom 360 connected to the main column 340. The manipulator system 300 also includes a plurality of manipulator arms 310, 311, 312, 313, each manipulator arm being connected to the main boom 360. The manipulator arms 310, 311, 312, and 313 may serve as the manipulator assembly 102. Each of the manipulator arms 310, 311, 312, 313 includes an instrument mounting portion 322 to which an instrument 330 may be mounted, and the instrument mounting portion 322 is shown attached to the manipulator arm 310. Although the manipulator system 300 depicts four manipulator arms, various embodiments may include more or fewer manipulator arms.

[0063] According to one embodiment, the instrument mounting portion 322 may include a drive assembly 323 and a cannula mount 324, wherein the drive mechanism 334 of the instrument 330 is connected to the drive assembly 323. The cannula mount 324 is configured to hold a cannula 336 through which the shaft 332 of the instrument 330 may extend to the surgical site during a surgical procedure. The drive assembly 323 includes various drive and other mechanisms that are controlled in response to input commands at the operator input system 106 and that transfer force to the drive mechanism 334 to actuate the instrument 330. Although Figure 3 the embodiment shown for purposes of illustration shows only the instrument 330 attached to the manipulator arm 310, the instrument may be attached to any and each of the manipulator arms 310, 311, 312, 313.

[0064] Figure 4 An exemplary embodiment of a manipulator system 400 that may be used as part of the manipulator system 100 is shown. In Figure 4 it, a portion of the manipulator arm 440 of the manipulator system 400 is shown, where two instruments 408, 410 are in the mounted position. For simplicity, Figure 4 the schematic shows only two instruments, but as is familiar to those of ordinary skill in the art, more than two instruments may be mounted in the mounting positions of the manipulator system 400. Each instrument 408, 410 includes shafts 420, 430 that have a movable end effector or an endoscope, a camera, or other sensing device at the distal end and may or may not include a wrist mechanism (not shown) to control the movement at the distal end.

[0065] In Figure 4 the embodiment, the distal portions of the instruments 408, 410 are received through a single-port structure 480 for introduction into the patient's body. As shown, the port structure includes a cannula and an instrument entry guide inserted into the cannula. A single instrument is inserted into the entry guide to reach the surgical site.

[0066] Drive mechanisms 485, 490 are provided at the proximal portions of each shaft 420, 430 and are connected to drive assemblies 470, 475 through sterile adapters 450, 460. The drive assemblies 470, 475 include various internal mechanisms (not shown) that are controlled by a controller (e.g., at the control cart of the surgical system) in response to input commands at the surgeon's side console of the surgical system, thereby transferring force to the force transmission mechanisms 485, 480 to actuate the instruments 408, 410.

[0067] The manipulator systems described herein are not limited to Figure 1 Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figure 4Embodiments, and various other remotely operated, computer-assisted manipulator configurations may be used in conjunction with the embodiments described herein. The diameter of the instrument shaft and the end effector are typically selected based on the size of the cannula with which the instrument will be used and depending on the surgical procedure being performed.

[0068] Figures 5A - 5H Medical system 500, such as a surgical manipulator system, is shown. According to some examples consistent with Figures 1 - 4 Medical system 500 may correspond to or be incorporated into the manipulator system 100, medical device system 200, manipulator system 300, and / or manipulator system 400 described above.

[0069] As shown, medical system 500 includes a communication component 502 that is adapted to isolate sounds on the patient side and relay the sounds to a remote user, such as a user at another cart or console of medical system 500. Communication component 502 includes components or portions of components that extend in a first direction and are assembled / stacked in a second direction transverse to the first direction as described in more detail below. The second direction extends proximally from the patient side to an opposite distal end. Within the reference frame of communication component 502, the second direction may be considered to extend along a longitudinal axis L, where the components or portions of components of communication component 502 extend transversely to longitudinal axis L in the first direction. It should be understood that when two objects are referred to herein, "transverse" may include two objects that extend at an angle relative to each other. For example, the objects may be orthogonal to each other, with the angle relative to the other within a range of 0 to 3 degrees, 0 to 5 degrees, 0 to 10 degrees, 0 to 15 degrees, etc.

[0070] Communication component 502 includes a cover plate 504 and a circuit board 508. Cover plate 504 has an outer surface 506 facing the patient. Circuit board 508 is coupled to cover plate 504 and is spatially separated from cover plate 504 by a gap extending in the second direction (e.g., proximally spaced from cover plate 504 along the longitudinal axis). Communication component 502 also includes a plurality of microphone arrays 510 that are electrically coupled to circuit board 508 and are disposed between circuit board 508 and cover plate 504 (e.g., disposed within the gap between circuit board 508 and cover plate 504). Each microphone in each microphone array 510 has an associated isolated audio path 512 ( Figures 5D - 5F), the isolated audio path 512 extends through a gap between one of a plurality of audio openings 514 defined in the cover plate 504 and a corresponding microphone. Each microphone group 510 includes a first microphone 510a and a second microphone 510b spaced apart from each other to provide an audio input for beamforming / triangulation analysis. For example, the second microphone 510b is spaced outside the first microphone 510a in a first direction, the first microphone 510a and the second microphone 510b are spaced apart from each other in a first direction transverse to the second direction, and / or the first microphone 510a and the second microphone 510b are spaced apart radially from each other.

[0071] The communication component 502 also includes one or more point light sources 516 and an optical waveguide 518. The one or more point light sources 516 are electrically coupled to the circuit board 508 and are disposed between the circuit board 508 and the cover plate 504 (e.g., disposed within a gap between the circuit board 508 and the cover plate 504). The optical waveguide 518 is at least partially disposed between the circuit board 508 and the cover plate 504 (e.g., within the gap). The optical waveguide 518 has at least one optical path to guide and diffuse the light emitted by the one or more point light sources 516 to the outer surface 506. In some examples, the at least one optical path extends in a first direction and a second direction within the gap.

[0072] In some examples, the point light source 516 and the optical waveguide 518 are configured to emit light in one or more orientations spaced inwardly from the edge of the cover plate 504. Thus, in these examples, the cover plate 504 includes an opening 520 extending therethrough, and the opening 520 is configured to at least partially receive a portion of the optical waveguide 518 therein.

[0073] In some embodiments, it may be desirable to diffuse the light emitted by the point light source 516 such that the light emitted through the optical waveguide 518 has a uniform intensity and color. As discussed in more detail below, keeping the distance between the cover plate 504 and the circuit board 508 as small as possible advantageously contributes to acoustic isolation for subsequent beamforming processing. Thus, to ensure that the light emitted from the point light source 516 has sufficient travel to be fully diffused, the point light source 516 may be coupled to the circuit board 508 to emit light in a first direction (e.g., transverse to the longitudinal axis), and the optical waveguide 518 may be configured to provide an optical path to guide the emitted light from the first direction to the second direction to reach the outer surface 506.

[0074] As Figures 5B - 5DAs shown, the light guide 518 includes an inner portion 522a and an outer portion 522b. The inner portion 522a is configured to direct light emitted from the point light source 516 through the opening 520 of the cover plate 504, while the outer portion 522b is configured to direct light along some or all of the edges of the cover plate 504. For example, as shown, the outer portion 522b can be an integral part of the light guide 518, extending around the entire edge (e.g., circumference) of the cover plate 504 to define a radial light path for the point light source 516. The point light source 516 includes point light sources 516 aligned with the inner portion 522a and the outer portion 522b of the light guide 518. For example, the point light source 516 can include point light sources 516 arranged in an array along the perimeter of the circuit board 508, where the array has a shape corresponding to the perimeter (e.g., circular). The point light source 516 can also be arranged in a straight line (e.g., straight and / or curved alignment) across the interior of the circuit board 508. As Figure 5D shown, the point light source 516 includes four line arrays spaced around the circuit board 508. The line arrays are offset from two vertical lines that extend through the center of the circuit board 508 and are oriented towards adjacent lines, such that in the case of the light guide 518, the communication component 502 has four inner portions 522a that are equidistantly arranged around the point P in a spoke configuration.

[0075] As Figure 5C shown, both light guide portions 522a, 522b include a light inlet 524, an intermediate neck portion 526, and a distal head portion 528. The surface of the light inlet 524 is oriented (e.g., generally extending in a second direction) to receive light from the point light source 516 emitted in a first direction. The neck portion 526 has a relatively narrow depth relative to the head portion 528 and is angled downward relative to the first direction, which causes the light emitted from the point light source 516 to be repeatedly reflected within the neck portion 526 for diffusion. With this configuration, due to the audio constraints discussed in more detail below, the depth of the neck portion 526 and the lateral length of the inner portion 522a / outer portion 522b in the first direction (including the lateral length of the neck portion 526) can be advantageously configured to produce diffused light within a minimized vertical space.

[0076] The head portion 528 includes a downward surface 530 that, when the communication component 502 is assembled, is exposed along the outer surface 506 of the cover plate 504 and adjacent to the outer surface 506. The light guide 518 is configured such that light emitted from the point light source 516 is directed along an optical path through the downward surface 530 generally towards the patient. As shown, the downward surface 530 generally extends in the first direction. It should be understood that generally extending in the first direction can include Figure 5B shown convex curvature, including curvature symmetric with respect to the second direction as shown in the inner portion 522a or upwardly curved curvature as shown in the outer portion 522b. Alternatively, asFigure 5C As shown, one or both of the inner portion 522a and the outer portion 522b may have a flat downward surface 530.

[0077] The audio path 512 of the communication component 502 is airtight / soundproof, enabling the communication component 502 to provide isolated inputs for each microphone. Accordingly, each audio path 512 extends through the gap from a first seal 532 that seals to one of the microphones 510a, 510b to a second seal 534 that seals around the associated audio opening 514 to the cover plate 504. As Figure 5B , Figure 5E and Figure 5F shown, the audio path 512 is defined by one or more spacers 536 disposed between the cover plate 504 and the circuit board 508. The spacers 536 are sized to be at least partially compressed between the cover plate 504 and the circuit board 508 when the cover plate 504 and the circuit board 508 are fastened together during the assembly of the communication component 502 to form the first seal 532 and the second seal 534. In some examples, the communication component 502 may be configured such that the microphone group 510 is disposed in close proximity to one of a plurality of fastener openings 538 that receive fasteners therein to fasten the components of the communication component 502 together. With this configuration, the fasteners that fully tighten the components of the communication component 502, including the cover plate 504 and the circuit board 508, together ensure that sufficient compressive force is applied to the spacers 536.

[0078] As Figure 5B shown, the spacer 536 defines the audio path 512 by its height. As shown, the audio path 512 may have a cylindrical configuration or a frustoconical configuration. For example, the spacer 536 may be disposed between the cover plate 504 and the circuit board 508 such that the larger diameter end of the frustoconical configuration is disposed around the audio opening 514, while the smaller diameter end of the frustoconical configuration is aligned with the inputs of the microphones 510a, 510b. In some examples, the audio path 512 is configured to be large enough not to change the sound between the audio opening 514 and the microphones 510a, 510b across the entire sound spectrum, but not so large as to create a cavity that could distort the sound traveling through the path 512.

[0079] To assist with assembly, the communication component 502 can include alignment features to ensure that the gasket 536 is correctly positioned relative to the microphones 510a, 510b and the audio opening 514 to provide the audio path 512. In one example, the gasket 536 can define a cavity 540 sized to receive the microphones 510a, 510b therein. The cavity 540 allows the material of the gasket 536 to extend around the sides of the microphone housing such that the gasket 536 remains in place relative to the circuit board 508 in the case where the microphones 510a, 510b are coupled to the circuit board 508. In additional examples, the inner surface 542 of the cover 504 defines one or more recesses 544 sized to receive the gasket 536 therein. The recesses 544 have a shape corresponding to the shape of the gasket 536 such that the gasket 536 is keyed in place relative to the audio opening 514 and is held in place relative to the cover 504.

[0080] The gasket 536 can be configured for each of the microphones 510a, 510b in the microphone group 510 such that each microphone 510a and 510b has a dedicated gasket 536. In some examples, the size and configuration of the gasket 536 can be adapted to define the audio path 512 for two or more microphones 510a, 510b. For example, the communication component 502 can include one gasket 536 for each microphone group 510. Accordingly, each gasket 536 can include spaced-apart cavities 538 for the first microphone 510a and the second microphone 510b.

[0081] While a single microphone group 510 is suitable for some embodiments, the medical system 500 can alternatively include two, three, four or more microphone groups 510 to provide the required number of inputs for beamforming / triangulation analysis.

[0082] In some examples, the microphone groups 510 are arranged around a point P ( Figure 5D ) of the communication component 502. For example, the point P can be the longitudinal center point of the communication component 502. With this configuration, the first microphone 510a and the second microphone 510b of each microphone group 510 are radially spaced apart from the point P and are spaced apart from each other relative to the point P. Additionally, the microphone groups 510 are circumferentially spaced apart from each other around the point P. Thus, this arranges the microphone groups 510 in a spoke configuration. As Figure 5D shown, the communication component 502 can include four spaced-apart microphone groups 510 that are equidistantly arranged around the point P and the first microphone 510a and the second microphone 510b of each microphone group 510 are radially aligned and spaced apart from each other.

[0083] As Figure 5AAs shown, the communication component 502 may include one or more septa 546 disposed between the audio opening 514 and the microphones 510a, 510b. The septa 546 are audio-permeable and resistant to fluid intrusion to protect the microphones 510a, 510b from damage due to fluid. Additionally, the septa 546 may be disposed between the gasket 536 and the cover plate 504 and held in place during assembly by compression of the cavity 540 and the gasket 536 to prevent fluid from intruding through the audio opening 514. In some examples, the communication component 502 includes as many septa 546 as there are gaskets 536, where the septa 546 have a shape similar to the perimeter of the gasket 536. Accordingly, the septa 546 may be configured to extend over the plurality of microphones 510a, 510b, such as the septa 546 for each microphone set 510.

[0084] In some embodiments as Figure 5H shown, the communication component 502 further includes an electromagnetic shield 548 to protect the electronic devices disposed proximal to the circuit board 508 from damage, such as damage due to electrostatic discharge. The electromagnetic shield 548 includes a shielding plate 550 having a main wall 552 extending in a first direction and a skirt 554 depending distally from an edge of the main wall 552 such that when the communication component 502 is fully assembled, the skirt 554 is disposed outside (e.g., radially outside) of the circuit board 508 and components coupled thereto (such as the microphone sets 510 and the point light source 516).

[0085] As shown, the main wall 552 may include a plurality of openings 556 extending therethrough to allow electrical connections and other components to extend through the communication component 502 in a second direction. Accordingly, the communication component 502 of this example includes a second circuit board 558 disposed proximal to the electromagnetic shielding plate 550, which carries circuitry vulnerable to damage (such as due to electrostatic discharge).

[0086] In embodiments where the point light source 516 and the light guide 518 form a complete outer portion 522b of the light guide 518, the electromagnetic shield 548 further includes a gasket 560 having a shape corresponding to the outer light guide portion 522b. Optionally, the shielding plate 550 may include a flange 562 extending outwardly from a distal edge of the skirt 554. When the components of the communication component 502 are assembled together, the flange 562 and the gasket 560 may have similar shapes (such as annular) to be coupled together. The gasket 560 provides a ground path protection for the communication component 502 around the complete outer light guide portion 522b.

[0087] As Figure 5HAs shown, the communication component 502 further includes a targeting laser 564, which is disposed within and aligned with an opening 566 that extends through the cover plate 504, the light guide 518, the circuit board 508, the shielding plate 550, and the second circuit board 558, for positioning the communication component 502 relative to the patient.

[0088] In Figure 5I the example shown, in addition to the communication component 502, the medical system 502 further includes an orientation platform 568 having a distal surface 570 facing the patient. The outer surface 506 of the cover plate 504 of the communication component 502 is exposed along the patient-facing surface 570 of the orientation platform 568, such that the communication component 502 extends in a second direction within the orientation platform 568. With this configuration, the user manipulates the position and orientation of the orientation platform 568 relative to the patient. In some examples, the medical system 502 further includes one or more manipulator arms 572 coupled to the orientation platform 568. For a medical system 502 consistent with Figure 3 and / or Figure 4 the manipulator arms 572 can correspond to the above-described manipulator arms 310, 311, 312, 313, 440.

[0089] In some examples, the communication component 502 is configured to isolate sounds in the range of about 10 Hz to about 12 kHz or in the range of about 150 Hz to about 6 kHz. In some examples, the point light source 516 can be an RGBW light-emitting diode. The point light source 516 can be individually controlled. Any suitable number of point light sources 516 can be used, including up to 100 light sources or 76 light sources as Figure 5D shown. In some examples, the light guide 518 can be formed of polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG). In some examples, the microphones 510a, 510b can be MEMS audio sensor omnidirectional digital microphones. In some examples, the audio opening 514 can be about 3 mm. In some examples, the spacer 546 can be at least partially made of Saatifil Acoustex or other acoustically neutral and fluid-impermeable materials.

[0090] Figure 6 An example medical system 600 (e.g., a minimally invasive robotic surgical system) is shown in which includes a communication component 602 (e.g., communication component 502) received within an orientation platform 668 (e.g., orientation platform 568). The medical system 600 further includes a patient-side cart 674, a surgeon's console 676, and an electronics / console 678. It should be noted that Figure 6 the components schematically shown are not shown in any particular orientation and can be arranged as needed, where the patient-side cart 674 is positioned relative to the patient for performing surgery on the patient.

[0091] As is commonly known to those of ordinary skill in the art, the medical system 600 is used to perform minimally invasive robotic surgery by interfacing with and controlling various surgical instruments. The patient-side cart 674 includes an orientation platform 668 and one or more articulated arms 672 (e.g., manipulator arms 572) for holding, positioning, and manipulating various tools, including but not limited to, for example, surgical instruments with end effectors and endoscopes (not shown). The patient-side cart 674 is positioned near the patient, and one or more surgical instruments are used to perform various surgical procedures at the working site of the patient's body. Exemplary surgical procedures that the end effector can perform include but are not limited to, for example, clamping blood vessels or other hollow body structures, cutting tissue with a pivoting blade of the end effector, and / or other procedures that may require relatively high grasping force.

[0092] Generally, the surgeon console 676 receives input from the surgeon through various input devices and serves as the main controller, through which the patient-side cart 674 acts as a slave to achieve the desired movement of the surgical instrument(s) interfaced therewith and accordingly perform the desired surgical procedure.

[0093] The electronics / console 678 (which may include, for example, an electrosurgical processing unit) receives and transmits various control signals to and from the patient-side cart 674 and the surgeon console 676, and can transmit and process images (e.g., from an endoscope at the patient-side cart 674) for display, for example, on a display (not shown) at the surgeon console 676 and / or a display associated with the electronics / console 678. Those of ordinary skill in the art are generally familiar with such an electronics / console for a robotic-controlled surgical system.

[0094] An electronic data processing system (including the control system 680 and may be provided at one or more of the patient-side cart 674, the surgeon console 676, and the electronics / console 678) can receive and process input from the surgeon console 676 and control the manipulation of the arm 672 and the instrument coupled to the arm 672 at the patient-side cart 674 based on the input received at the surgeon console 676. However, the present disclosure is not limited to receiving input at the surgeon console 676, and input can be received at any device that causes the manipulation of the components of the patient-side cart 674 (e.g., the communication component 602, the arm 672, and / or the instrument / end effector coupled to the arm 672).

[0095] The communication component 602 of the present embodiment may correspond to the communication component 502 described above and include any of its components. Accordingly, the control system 680 is operably coupled to a plurality of microphone arrays 610 and is configured to analyze the sounds received from the plurality of microphone arrays 610 for beamforming. Additionally, the control system 680 is operably coupled to one or more point light sources 616 and is configured to activate the one or more point light sources 616 as status indicators for the user (e.g., failure, operation, processing, etc.).

[0096] One or more components of the embodiments discussed in this disclosure (e.g., control systems 112, 680) may be implemented in software to be executed on one or more processors of a computer system. The software may include code that, when executed by the one or more processors, configures the one or more processors to perform the various functions described herein. The code may be stored in a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium (e.g., memory, magnetic storage device, optical storage device, solid-state storage device, etc.). The computer-readable storage medium may be a part of a computer-readable storage device, such as an electronic circuit, a semiconductor device, a semiconductor storage device, a read-only memory (ROM), a flash memory, an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM); a floppy disk, a CD-ROM, an optical disk, a hard disk, or other storage devices. The code may be downloaded via a computer network, such as the Internet, an intranet, etc., for storage on the computer-readable storage medium. The code may be executed by any of a variety of centralized or distributed data processing architectures. The programming instructions of the code may be implemented as multiple separate programs or subroutines, or they may be integrated into multiple other aspects of the systems described herein. The components of the computing systems discussed herein may be connected using wired and / or wireless connections. In some examples, the wireless connection may use wireless communication protocols such as Bluetooth, near field communication (NFC), infrared data association (IrDA), HomeRF, IEEE 802.11, digital enhanced cordless telecommunications (DECT), and wireless medical telemetry service (WMTS).

[0097] A variety of general-purpose computer systems may be used to execute one or more of the processes, methods, or functions described herein. Additionally or alternatively, a variety of special-purpose computer systems may be used to execute one or more of the processes, methods, or functions described herein. Furthermore, a variety of programming languages may be used to implement one or more of the processes, methods, or functions described herein.

[0098] Although certain embodiments and examples have been described above and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it should be understood that these embodiments and examples are merely illustrative and are not limited to the specific constructions and arrangements shown and described, as various other alternatives, modifications, and equivalents will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

Claims

1. A medical system, comprising: A communication component, comprising: A cover plate having an outer surface facing the patient, the outer surface facing the patient extending in a first direction, the cover plate including a plurality of audio openings; A circuit board coupled to the cover plate and spatially separated from the cover plate by a gap extending in a second direction; One or more point light sources electrically coupled to the circuit board and disposed between the circuit board and the cover plate; An optical waveguide at least partially disposed between the circuit board and the cover plate, the optical waveguide including at least one optical path to guide and diffuse light emitted by the one or more point light sources to the outer surface, the at least one optical path extending in the first direction and the second direction within the gap; A plurality of microphone groups electrically coupled to the circuit board and disposed between the circuit board and the cover plate, each microphone group of the plurality of microphone groups including a first microphone and a second microphone spaced apart from the first microphone along the first direction outside the first microphone; and A plurality of gaskets, each gasket of the plurality of gaskets including an audio passage extending through the gap from a first seal that seals to one of the first microphone and the second microphone to a second seal that seals around one of the plurality of audio openings.

2. The medical system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of microphone groups are arranged in an array having a spoke configuration.

3. The medical system according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of microphone groups include at least four microphone groups.

4. The medical system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of gaskets include gaskets configured for each microphone group.

5. The medical system according to claim 4, wherein each of the gaskets defines a cavity configured to receive the first microphone and the second microphone.

6. The medical system according to claim 1, wherein the cover plate defines a recess in the inner surface, the recess being configured to bond the plurality of gaskets relative to the plurality of audio openings.

7. The medical system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a plurality of spacers disposed between the plurality of gaskets and the cover plate, the plurality of spacers being audio-permeable and resistant to fluid intrusion.

8. The medical system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the one or more point light sources are oriented to emit light in the first direction; and the at least one optical path of the optical waveguide guides the light from the first direction to the second direction to reach the outer surface.

9. The medical system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising an orientation platform having a surface facing the patient, the outer surface of the cover plate of the communication component being exposed along the surface facing the patient of the orientation platform.

10. The medical system according to claim 9, further comprising one or more manipulator arms coupled to the orientation platform.

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