Tracheal intubation robot, tail end flexible body and driving control method of tail end flexible body

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of minimally invasive surgery, and discloses a tracheal intubation robot which comprises a flexible section, a fixed support, a telescopic support, a bending driving module and a front-back displacement module, the fixed support is installed at the front end of the front-back displacement module, and the bending driving module is installed on a movable part at the rear end of the front-back displacement module. The front end of the fixing support extends upwards and is opposite to the bending driving module, the fixing support and the bending driving module are connected through the telescopic support, and one end of the flexible section is connected with the output end of the bending driving module. Compared with a traditional snakelike structure which adopts surface contact connection of an ellipsoidal convex surface and a spherical groove, the spherical groove is kept unchanged, but the spherical convex surface is changed into an ellipsoid, original surface contact is changed into point contact, friction force in the rotating process is reduced, the memory metal flexible strip is added to the center of the structure, and the friction force in the rotating process is reduced. And it is ensured that all the joint sections keep relatively consistent curvatures in the bending process, and the coordination and response speed of the structure are improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of minimally invasive surgery, in particular to a tracheal intubation robot, a terminal flexible body and a drive control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] In today's medical field, surgical robots are being used more and more widely, especially in minimally invasive surgery. Surgical robots can greatly improve the success rate of surgery, reduce patients' recovery time, and reduce surgical risks through precise operation and efficient assistance. Compared with traditional surgical methods, robotic surgery not only provides higher stability and precision, but can also operate in complex anatomical structures or narrow spaces, which places extremely high demands on physicians.

[0003] Surgical robots usually consist of a control system, an operating arm, and an end effector. In the structural design of flexible robots, the study of flexible bodies is the key to improving the robot's adaptability and flexibility in narrow spaces and its ability to operate precisely in complex environments. Especially in medical operations, the flexible segment not only needs to have high flexibility to adapt to different operating spaces, but also must have sufficient rigidity and stability to ensure accuracy and safety during the operation. Especially in delicate operations such as tracheal intubation, the demand for flexible structures is particularly prominent.

[0004] At present, the structure of the flexible segment at the end of the surgical robot can be mainly divided into the following four types: multi-layer flexible planar structure, incision structure, interlocking segment structure and serpentine structure. These four structures are all driven by ropes (also called tendon drives) to change the overall curvature of the structure, thereby achieving the required bending.

[0005] like Figure 11 As shown, the multi-layer flexible planar structure consists of multiple planar layers, which are connected by flexible materials passing through the center of the plane. It can bend within a certain range and maintain a relatively stable bending curvature when driven by the tendon;

[0006] like Figure 12 As shown, the notched structure is formed by uniformly laser cutting a metal tube (e.g., a nickel-titanium alloy tube) to form multiple spaced notches or slots. These notches are designed to allow the tube to bend in a specific direction while maintaining a certain rigidity. Nickel-titanium alloy has excellent elasticity and memory properties, which enables the notched structure to return to its original shape after deformation.

[0007] like Figure 13 As shown, the interlocking segment structure is composed of multiple segments with interlocking functions, each segment is connected to the adjacent segments to form a stable overall structure that can bend within a limited angle range;

[0008] like Figure 14As shown, the serpentine structure is formed by connecting multiple discrete units in series through the constraint force of tendons, forming a snake-like shape;

[0009] In addition, with the increasing clinical requirements for difficult airway management, traditional manual intubation methods have certain risks when facing complex anatomical structures and limited fields of view. In order to improve the safety and success rate of intubation, tracheal intubation robots have come into being. With the help of flexible structures and intelligent control methods, this type of robot has the ability to accurately navigate in complex airways. In recent years, with the development of sensor technology and control algorithms, autonomous intubation has become possible, providing a new path for intelligent, low-traumatic, and highly reliable clinical intubation solutions.

[0010] At present, the above four flexible segment structures have their own advantages and disadvantages, as follows:

[0011] 1. Multi-layer flexible planar structures can provide good stiffness controllability, and their design is relatively simple and manufacturing difficulty is relatively low. However, due to the limited load-bearing capacity of this structure, it is prone to irreversible deformation when subjected to excessive loads, resulting in structural damage and reduced control accuracy. Therefore, its application in high-load environments is subject to certain restrictions;

[0012] 2. Similar to the multi-layer flexible planar structure, the incision-type structure also has good stiffness controllability, and its flexibility is strong and its ability to adapt to different environments is strong. However, there is also the problem that excessive load may cause irreversible deformation, affecting the overall stability and accuracy of the robot;

[0013] 3. Interlocking segment structures can provide higher stability and higher kinematic model accuracy, enabling the robot to maintain better control performance in complex operating environments. However, since this type of structure is usually assembled from many different small parts, the manufacturing and assembly process is relatively cumbersome, increasing costs and technical difficulties. In addition, the complex structural design may increase the overall weight of the robot and affect its flexibility.

[0014] 4. The serpentine structure excels in kinematic model accuracy and can provide relatively precise motion control. However, due to the surface contact connection between the segments, the friction is high, which may lead to reduced control accuracy. In addition, the curvature of each segment may vary during the bending process, affecting the stability and response speed during operation.

[0015] Therefore, how to solve the shortcomings of existing flexible segment structures while ensuring structural stability, motion accuracy and load-bearing capacity is an important challenge in the current design of flexible robots. Summary of the Invention

[0016] In order to solve the technical problems existing in the background technology, the present invention proposes a tracheal intubation robot, a terminal flexible body and a drive control method thereof.

[0017] The present invention proposes a tracheal intubation robot, including a flexible section, a fixed bracket, a telescopic bracket, a bending drive module, and a front-and-rear displacement module. The fixed bracket is installed at the front end of the front-and-rear displacement module, and the bending drive module is installed on the movable part at the rear end of the front-and-rear displacement module. The front end of the fixed bracket extends upward and is opposite to the bending drive module, and the two are connected by a telescopic bracket. One end of the flexible section is connected to the output end of the bending drive module, and the other end of the flexible section passes through the telescopic bracket and the fixed bracket and extends forward. The bending drive module is driven by the front-and-rear displacement module to move horizontally, thereby driving the flexible section to advance or retreat along the intubation direction. The bending drive module drives the flexible section to bend, thereby guiding the flexible section to form the posture required for intubation.

[0018] As a further optimized solution of the present invention, the front and rear displacement module includes a displacement motor, a coupling, a support base, a synchronous pulley group, a screw, a platform slide, a fixed block, and a base. The front end of the base is equipped with a fixed block and is fixed to the bottom of the fixed bracket. The screw is rotatably arranged in a horizontal groove on the upper end surface of the base. The displacement motor is installed at the rear end of the base, and the output end of the displacement motor is connected to the shaft end of the screw through the synchronous pulley group. The platform slide is slidably assembled on the upper end surface of the base and fixed to the threaded pair of the screw. The bending drive module is installed on the upper end surface of the platform slide.

[0019] The synchronous pulley group includes two pulleys, one pulley is installed on the shaft end of the screw rod, and the other pulley is connected to the output shaft of the displacement motor through a coupling. The two pulleys are connected through a belt transmission.

[0020] As a further optimized solution of the present invention, the bending drive module includes a U-shaped support base installed on the movable part of the front and rear displacement modules, a drive shell is installed on the upper end of the U-shaped support base, and a front end of the drive shell is installed with a centrally arranged outlet duct and a fixed bracket located on the periphery of the outlet duct. The free end of the fixed bracket is connected to the rear end of the telescopic bracket, and the rear end of the flexible section extends into the outlet duct and has multiple tendons evenly distributed circumferentially. Multiple electric motors are installed inside the drive shell, and the free ends of the multiple tendons are respectively wound around the output ends of the multiple electric motors. The tendons are wound and unwound by the electric motors to achieve circumferential tension control on multiple sides of the flexible section.

[0021] As a further optimized solution of the present invention, the front and rear ends of the driving shell are respectively installed with a top shell and a bottom shell, the fixing bracket and the outlet duct are both installed on the front end surface of the top shell, and the front end surface of the top shell is also installed with a plurality of pulley assemblies circumferentially symmetrically distributed on the periphery of the outlet duct. The plurality of pulley assemblies correspond one-to-one to the plurality of tendons and are used to guide the tendons.

[0022] As a further optimized solution of the present invention, the telescopic bracket includes a plurality of connecting plates arranged parallel to each other, and every two adjacent connecting plates are hinged by a connecting rod to form a continuous parallelogram bracket, and the two free ends of the parallelogram bracket are respectively hinged to the fixed bracket and the bending drive module.

[0023] As a further optimized solution of the present invention, the connecting plate includes two short connecting plates and multiple long connecting plates located between the two short connecting plates, the connecting rod bar includes a short connecting rod bar and a long connecting rod bar, the short connecting rod bars are hingedly installed on both sides of one end of the short connecting plate, and the other end of the short connecting rod bar is hingedly installed on one end of the adjacent long connecting plate, the long connecting rod bar is hingedly installed in the middle of the side of the long connecting plate, one end of the long connecting rod bar is hinged to one end of the adjacent long connecting plate, and the other end of the long connecting rod bar is hinged to the other end of the adjacent long connecting plate or the short connecting plate.

[0024] A terminal flexible body of an endotracheal intubation robot includes a flexible segment, the flexible segment includes a plurality of flexible units connected in series via a memory metal flexible strip, each flexible unit includes an ellipsoid, a segment unit, an assembly slot, a spherical groove, a tendon through hole, a curved through hole, and an auxiliary through slot;

[0025] The ellipsoid is installed at the front end of the joint unit, and the assembly groove and the spherical groove are both opened at the rear end of the joint unit, and the spherical groove is located in the middle of the side of the assembly groove close to the ellipsoid and is concave inward. The two adjacent joint units are connected by the ellipsoid and the assembly groove, and the ellipsoid in the assembly groove is rotated at an angle and then assembled with the spherical groove;

[0026] Both the tendon through-holes and the auxiliary through-slots are opened on the segmental unit and pass through from front to back. There are multiple tendon through-holes and they are symmetrically distributed in a ring. Tendons are inserted into the tendon through-holes, and multiple segmental units are connected through the tendons. The number of auxiliary through-slots is the same as the number of tendon through-holes. An auxiliary through-slot is set between every two adjacent tendon through-holes to place the line that the end camera needs to pass through.

[0027] The curved through hole is opened at the center of the segment unit and is coaxially aligned and passes through the front end surface of the ellipsoid. A memory metal flexible strip passes through the curved through hole to connect multiple segment units in series.

[0028] As a further optimized solution of the present invention, the assembly through groove is a groove with an arc-shaped cross-section and an obtuse arc center angle. The axis of the groove is perpendicular to the axis of the segment unit, and the inner diameter of the groove is adapted to the short diameter of the ellipsoid. The short diameter of the ellipsoid enters the spherical groove through the assembly through groove. The ellipsoid is then rotated 90° in the spherical groove so that the assembly through grooves on the two adjacent segment units are oriented in the same direction and the corresponding tendon through holes are aligned, thereby utilizing the difference in the long and short diameters of the ellipsoid to ensure stable assembly of the two adjacent segment units.

[0029] The inner diameter of the spherical groove is adapted to the long diameter of the ellipsoid.

[0030] A drive control method for the flexible end body of an endotracheal intubation robot is provided. The method is based on visual autonomous navigation control and has the following specific steps:

[0031] A camera is installed at the free end of the flexible segment. After the system is started, the visual module is used to identify the intubation path and extract visual depth information including airway morphology.

[0032] Perform path analysis based on the extracted depth data and the preset airway model to generate the expected intubation trajectory, and generate new data based on the new depth data after completing a stage of trajectory movement;

[0033] The magnetic sensor is used to obtain the real-time position information of the head and tail of the flexible segment for feedback control and trajectory correction;

[0034] The system then determines whether the current posture of the controllable flexible segment may cause damage to the airway, such as whether it is excessively bent or contacts the airway wall. If there is a potential risk, the posture of the flexible segment is adjusted to make it safe.

[0035] After determining that the flexible segment is in a safe posture, the control system calls the model predictive control (MPC) module to adjust the motors in the front and rear displacement modules to drive the entire system forward, and adjust the electric motors in the bending drive module to adjust the bending of the flexible segment, thereby completing the overall advancement of the intubation system;

[0036] The system then determines whether the entire intubation path is completed. If not, it returns to the visual recognition and path planning stage and repeats the above process. If the intubation is completed, the system exits and the intubation process terminates.

[0037] As a further optimized solution of the present invention, the specific process of the control system calling the model predictive control (MPC) module is as follows:

[0038] Through the expected trajectory and the real-time position of the flexible segment, the flexible segment at the end and the overall forward and backward movement of the robot are controlled by model prediction;

[0039] The difference between the flexible segment pose obtained by control at the previous moment and the expected pose is compensated by the real Jacobian matrix control of the recursive least squares method (RSL), which is used for the model predictive control (MPC) compensation of the flexible segment in the next stage. The contact friction between the flexible segment and the airway at the previous moment is modeled by the adaptive disturbance observer (ADO) to obtain control compensation, which is used for the model predictive control (MPC) compensation of the overall forward and backward movement of the robot in the next stage.

[0040] The tracheal intubation robot, the terminal flexible body and the drive control method thereof proposed in the present invention have the following beneficial effects:

[0041] (1) Compared with the traditional serpentine structure that uses a surface contact connection between a spherical convex surface and a spherical groove, the present invention designs the spherical groove with a spherical surface smaller than a hemisphere and capable of assembly only in the vertical direction into a spherical groove larger than a hemisphere, thereby forming a deeper envelope structure to enhance the stability and force-bearing area after assembly. A through groove is provided on the side of the groove so that the mating component can be inserted into the groove from the side. The spherical convex surface is changed to an ellipsoid, so that the original surface contact is changed to point contact, reducing friction during rotation. A memory metal flexible strip is added to the center of the structure to ensure that all joint segments maintain a relatively consistent curvature during bending, thereby improving the coordination and response speed of the structure.

[0042] (2) Compared with multi-layer flexible planar structures and incision-type structures, which are prone to irreversible deformation under high load conditions, affecting the integrity and control accuracy of the structure, the present invention limits the maximum bending angle by designing structural constraints on the maximum bending angle between nodes, thereby avoiding excessive deformation under external forces;

[0043] (3) Compared with the traditional interlocking segment structure, which uses multiple parts for assembly, resulting in a complex assembly process, increased manufacturing costs and technical difficulty, and the assembly errors of multiple parts may affect the stability of the final structure, the present invention adopts a 3D printing integrated processing method, and each section is an integrated molding structure, thereby reducing the number of parts and simplifying the assembly process;

[0044] (4) The overall structure of the endotracheal intubation robot of the present invention integrates the flexible section, fixed bracket, telescopic bracket, bending drive module and forward and backward displacement module into one body, with a reasonable structural layout, which is convenient for assembly, maintenance and system expansion;

[0045] (5) The driving control method of the terminal flexible body of the tracheal intubation robot proposed in the present invention combines vision, model predictive control, RSL, ADO and other modules. By judging in real time whether the flexible segment may damage the airway and automatically adjusting the posture, it effectively reduces the risk of accidental injury and enhances the intelligence and safety of the system. Sensors are introduced to obtain the terminal posture and combined with model predictive control (MPC) to achieve fine control and dynamic trajectory correction to ensure that the intubation path accurately fits the airway. The recursive least squares method (RSL) and adaptive disturbance observer (ADO) are used to estimate the friction error online to achieve real-time compensation for interference and ensure control stability. The flexible segment actively avoids obstacles and cooperates with the rigid overall forward mechanism to perform intubation in stages, taking into account both path accessibility and propulsion stability, and adapting to complex clinical intubation environments.

[0046] Additional aspects and advantages of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description which follows, or may be learned by practice of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0047] Figure 1 An axonometric view of the endotracheal intubation robot provided by the present invention;

[0048] Figure 2 An axonometric view of the front and rear displacement module provided by the present invention;

[0049] Figure 3 An axonometric view of the bending drive module provided by the present invention;

[0050] Figure 4 An axonometric view of the telescopic bracket provided by the present invention;

[0051] Figure 5 An axonometric view of the flexible body provided by the present invention;

[0052] Figure 6 An axonometric view of the flexible body segment unit provided by the present invention;

[0053] Figure 7 A bottom view of the flexible body segment unit provided by the present invention;

[0054] Figure 8 A full cross-sectional view of the flexible body segment unit provided by the present invention;

[0055] Figure 9 A flow chart of the driving control method of the terminal flexible body of the tracheal intubation robot provided by the present invention;

[0056] Figure 10 A control flow chart of the model predictive control module provided by the present invention;

[0057] Figure 11 This is a schematic structural diagram of a flexible section of a multi-layer flexible planar structure in the prior art;

[0058] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the flexible section of the incision structure in the prior art;

[0059] Figure 13 It is a structural diagram of the flexible section of the interlocking section structure in the prior art;

[0060] Figure 14 It is a structural diagram of the flexible section of the serpentine structure in the prior art.

[0061] Description of the drawings: 1. Flexible section; 2. Fixed bracket; 3. Telescopic bracket; 4. Bending drive module; 5. Forward and backward displacement module;

[0062] 11. Ellipsoid; 12. Segment unit; 13. Assembly slot; 14. Spherical groove; 15. Tendon hole; 16. Bend hole; 17. Auxiliary slot; 18. Memory metal flexible strip; 19. Tendon;

[0063] 31. Short connecting plate; 32. Long connecting plate; 33. Short connecting rod; 34. Long connecting rod;

[0064] 41. U-shaped support base; 42. Drive housing; 43. Fixing bracket; 44. Pulley assembly; 45. Outlet duct; 46. Bottom housing; 47. Top housing;

[0065] 51. Displacement motor; 52. Coupling; 53. Support seat; 54. Synchronous pulley assembly; 55. Screw rod; 56. Platform slide; 57. Fixed block; 58. Base. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0066] The following describes embodiments of the present invention in detail. Examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar symbols throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are intended only to explain the present invention, and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0067] In the present invention, unless otherwise expressly specified or limited, when a first feature is "above" or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first and second features are in direct contact, or that the first and second features are in indirect contact through an intermediary. Furthermore, when a first feature is "above," "above," or "above" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a higher level than the second feature. When a first feature is "below," "below," or "below" a second feature, it may mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply means that the first feature is at a lower level than the second feature.

[0068] like Figures 1-4 As shown, a tracheal intubation robot includes a flexible segment 1, a fixed bracket 2, a telescopic bracket 3, a bending drive module 4, and a front-to-back displacement module 5. The fixed bracket 2 is mounted on the front end of the front-to-back displacement module 5, and the bending drive module 4 is mounted on the movable portion of the rear end of the front-to-back displacement module 5. The front end of the fixed bracket 2 extends upward and is opposite to the bending drive module 4, and the two are connected by the telescopic bracket 3. One end of the flexible segment 1 is connected to the output end of the bending drive module 4, and the other end of the flexible segment 1 passes through the telescopic bracket 3 and the fixed bracket 2 and extends forward. The front-to-back displacement module 5 drives the bending drive module 4 to move horizontally, thereby driving the flexible segment 1 to advance or retreat along the intubation direction. The bending drive module 4 drives the flexible segment 1 to bend, thereby guiding the flexible segment 1 to form the posture required for intubation.

[0069] The present invention integrates multiple modules to achieve precise intubation. The front-to-back displacement module 5 provides horizontal linear motion, driving the flexible segment 1 to advance or retreat along the airway, solving the problem of difficult depth control of traditional manual intubation. The bending drive module 4 adapts to complex bends in the airway, such as the glottis corner, by controlling the bending angle of the flexible segment 1, to avoid damage to the airway due to rigid insertion. The telescopic bracket 3 adopts a parallelogram connecting rod structure, which automatically adjusts its length as the bending drive module 4 moves forward and backward, providing support while avoiding interference, thereby improving overall coordination. For example, when encountering a narrow airway, the front-to-back displacement module 5 slowly advances, and the bending drive module 4 synchronously adjusts the bending angle of the flexible segment 1, so that the intubation path fits the airway contour, reducing the risk of mucosal damage.

[0070] Specifically, if Figure 2 As shown, the front-to-back displacement module 5 includes a displacement motor 51, a coupling 52, a support base 53, a synchronous pulley set 54, a screw 55, a platform slide 56, a fixed block 57, and a base 58. The front end of the base 58 is equipped with a fixed block 57 and is fixed to the bottom of the fixed bracket 2. The screw 55 is rotatably set in a horizontal groove on the upper end surface of the base 58. The displacement motor 51 is installed at the rear end of the base 58, and the output end of the displacement motor 51 is connected to the shaft end of the screw 55 through the synchronous pulley set 54. The platform slide 56 is slidably assembled on the upper end surface of the base 58 and fixed to the threaded pair of the screw 55. The bending drive module 4 is installed on the upper end surface of the platform slide 56.

[0071] The synchronous pulley assembly 54 includes two pulleys, one of which is mounted on the shaft end of the screw 55, and the other is connected to the output shaft of the displacement motor 51 through a coupling 52. The two pulleys are connected by a belt transmission.

[0072] When the displacement motor 51 is started, the screw 55 is driven to rotate through the coupling 52 and the synchronous pulley set 54, so that the platform slide 56 moves linearly along the direction of the integral base 58 and the screw 55, thereby driving the bending drive module 4 and the flexible section 1 to achieve precise advancement or retraction along the intubation direction, thereby completing the overall movement operation in the intubation task;

[0073] As the forward and backward displacement modules 5 move, the telescopic bracket 3 automatically expands or closes under the action of tension or thrust, thereby automatically expanding and contracting to synchronously change its total length. The telescopic bracket 3 can automatically compress to maintain support during intubation and automatically expand to return to a compact form during withdrawal, thereby always providing stable linear support for the flexible segment 1, thereby improving control accuracy and preventing control stagnation problems of the flexible segment 1.

[0074] The displacement motor 51 drives the screw 55 to rotate through the synchronous pulley group 54, converting the rotational motion into the linear motion of the platform slide 56. The fixed block 57 is fixed to the fixed bracket 2 to ensure the stability of the overall structure during the advancement process. For example, when the intubation depth needs to be precisely controlled, the displacement motor 51 runs at a low speed and micro-steps through the screw 55, combined with visual feedback to achieve millimeter-level depth control to avoid excessive insertion and damage to the lungs.

[0075] Specifically, if Figure 3 As shown, the bending drive module 4 includes a U-shaped support base 41 installed on the movable part of the front and rear displacement modules 5, a drive housing 42 is installed on the upper end of the U-shaped support base 41, and a centrally arranged outlet conduit 45 and a fixing bracket 43 located on the periphery of the outlet conduit 45 are installed at the front end of the drive housing 42. The free end of the fixing bracket 43 is connected to the rear end of the telescopic bracket 3, and the rear end of the flexible segment 1 extends into the outlet conduit 45 and has a plurality of tendons 19 uniformly distributed circumferentially. A plurality of electric motors are installed inside the drive housing 42, and the free ends of the plurality of tendons 19 are respectively wound around the output ends of the plurality of electric motors. The tendons 19 are retracted and extended by the electric motors to achieve multi-directional bending control of the flexible segment 1.

[0076] Furthermore, the flexible segment 1 has four symmetrically distributed tendons 19 on its circumferential side, and there are four electric motors corresponding one to one with the four tendons 19. When a certain electric motor rotates to drive the corresponding tendon 19, the corresponding tendon 19 is drawn into the drive housing 42, thereby tightening the corresponding side of the flexible segment 1. Conversely, when the tendon 19 is relaxed, the tension is released. By coordinating the motors corresponding to the tendons 19, precise tension control in multiple directions of the flexible segment 1 can be achieved, thereby guiding the flexible body to bend to form a desired posture.

[0077] Four electric motors respectively control four circumferentially evenly distributed tendons 19, and realize multi-directional bending of the flexible segment 1 through differentiated winding tension. For example, when the left tendon 19 is wound and the right side is relaxed, the flexible segment 1 bends to the right, and vice versa. The outlet catheter 45 guides the rear end of the flexible segment 1, and the fixed bracket 43 is connected to the telescopic bracket 3 to ensure that the axis of the flexible segment 1 is aligned with the intubation path during the bending process, thereby improving the control accuracy.

[0078] Furthermore, if Figure 3 As shown, the front and rear ends of the drive housing 42 are respectively mounted with a top shell 47 and a bottom shell 46, the fixing bracket 43 and the outlet conduit 45 are both mounted on the front end surface of the top shell 47, and the front end surface of the top shell 47 is also mounted with a plurality of pulley assemblies 44 symmetrically distributed around the periphery of the outlet conduit 45 in a circumferential direction. The plurality of pulley assemblies 44 correspond one-to-one to the plurality of tendons 19 and are used to guide the tendons 19;

[0079] There are two fixing brackets 43 symmetrically distributed above and below the outlet conduit 45 , respectively used to connect the upper and lower sides of the rear end of the telescopic bracket 3 ;

[0080] There are four pulley assemblies 44, which are annularly and symmetrically distributed around the periphery of the outlet duct 45. The outer wall of the outlet duct 45 has four circular holes that are evenly and symmetrically distributed around the circumference. The rear end of the flexible section 1 extends into the interior of the outlet duct 45, and the free end of the tendon 19 passes through adjacent circular holes and extends to the outside of the outlet duct 45. The free end of the tendon 19 is then guided by the pulley of the pulley assembly 44. The free end of the tendon 19 extends into the drive housing 42 and is wound around the reel at the output end of the electric motor.

[0081] The pulley assembly 44 uses a low-friction coefficient material such as ceramic bearings to reduce the transmission resistance of the tendon 19 and ensure sensitive tension control. The top shell 47 and the bottom shell 46 form a closed cavity to protect the internal electric motor and transmission structure and avoid the intrusion of body fluids or tissue debris. For example, in a humid airway environment, the closed structure can prevent water vapor from corroding the motor and extend the service life of the equipment.

[0082] Specifically, if Figure 1 and Figure 4 As shown, the telescopic bracket 3 includes a plurality of connecting plates arranged parallel to each other, and every two adjacent connecting plates are hingedly connected by a connecting rod to form a continuous parallelogram bracket, and the two free ends of the parallelogram bracket are respectively hinged to the fixed bracket 2 and the bending drive module 4;

[0083] The parallelogram stent has a constant height characteristic, ensuring that the axis height of the flexible segment 1 remains unchanged during bending, thus preventing intubation path deviation caused by stent deformation. For example, when the bending drive module 4 drives the flexible segment 1 forward, the angles between the long connecting plate 32, the short connecting plate 31, and the long connecting rod 34, and the short connecting rod 33 of the telescopic stent 3 change as a whole, but the overall height remains constant, maintaining the coaxiality of the flexible segment 1 and the airway axis.

[0084] Furthermore, if Figure 4 As shown, the connecting plate includes two short connecting plates 31 and a plurality of long connecting plates 32 located between the two short connecting plates 31, and the connecting rods include short connecting rods 33 and long connecting rods 34. The short connecting rods 33 are hingedly installed on both sides of one end of the short connecting plate 31, and the other end of the short connecting rod 33 is hingedly connected to one end of the adjacent long connecting plate 32. The long connecting rod 34 is hingedly installed in the middle of the side of the long connecting plate 32, and one end of the long connecting rod 34 is hingedly connected to one end of the adjacent long connecting plate 32, and the other end of the long connecting rod 34 is hingedly connected to the other end of the adjacent long connecting plate 32 or the short connecting plate 31.

[0085] The combination of long and short connecting plates and connecting rods forms a multi-stage telescopic structure, which can automatically adjust the support length according to the bending amplitude of the flexible section 1. For example, when the fixed bracket 2 and the bending drive module 4 are far apart, the long connecting rod 34 and the short connecting rod 33 swing in coordination to extend the telescopic bracket 3 as a whole, maintain uniform support for the flexible section 1, and avoid structural damage caused by local stress concentration.

[0086] like Figure 5-Figure 8 As shown, a terminal flexible body of an endotracheal intubation robot includes a flexible segment 1, characterized in that the flexible segment 1 includes a plurality of flexible units connected in series via a memory metal flexible strip 18, each flexible unit includes an ellipsoid 11, a segment unit 12, an assembly slot 13, a spherical groove 14, a tendon through hole 15, a bending through hole 16, and an auxiliary through slot 17;

[0087] The ellipsoid 11 is located at the front end of the segment unit 12, and the assembly groove 13 and the spherical groove 14 are both opened at the rear end of the segment unit 12, and the spherical groove 14 is located in the middle of the side of the assembly groove 13 close to the ellipsoid 11 and is concave inward. The two adjacent segment units 12 are connected by the ellipsoid 11 and the assembly groove 13, and the ellipsoid 11 in the assembly groove 13 is rotated at an angle and assembled with the spherical groove 14;

[0088] The tendon through-hole 15 and the auxiliary through-slot 17 are both provided on the segment unit 12 and pass through it front to back. Each segment unit has four tendon through-holes and are symmetrically distributed in a ring. The tendon through-hole 15 is sheathed with a tendon 19, and multiple segment units 12 are connected through the tendon 19. The number of auxiliary through-slots 17 is consistent with the number of tendon through-holes 15. The auxiliary through-slot 17 is provided between every two adjacent tendon through-holes 15 and is used to place the line that the end camera needs to pass through. The tendon 19 is retracted and extended by the electric motor in the bending drive module 4, thereby controlling the actual tension, thereby causing the tendon 19 to expand and contract to achieve overall bending control;

[0089] The bending through hole 16 is opened at the center of the segment unit 12 and is coaxially aligned and passes through the front end surface of the ellipsoid 11. The memory metal flexible strip 18 passes through the bending through hole 16 to connect multiple segment units 12 in series. The memory metal flexible strip 18 located at the center of the flexible segment 1 can increase the coordination and consistency of the flexible segment 1 during the bending process.

[0090] The point contact design between the ellipsoid 11 and the spherical groove 14 reduces the friction coefficient, thereby improving the bending response speed. The memory metal flexible strip 18 provides axial stiffness to ensure that the curvature of multiple flexible units is consistent when bending, avoiding the "kinking" phenomenon. For example, when the flexible segment 1 passes through the glottis, the memory metal flexible strip 18 limits excessive bending of each segment while allowing smooth bending as a whole, reducing the risk of airway mucosal damage.

[0091] Specifically, the assembly groove 13 is a groove with an arc-shaped cross-section and an obtuse arc center angle. The axis of the groove is perpendicular to the axis of the segment unit 12, and the inner diameter of the groove is adapted to the short diameter of the ellipsoid 11. The short diameter of the ellipsoid 11 enters the spherical groove 14 through the assembly groove 13. The ellipsoid 11 is then rotated 90° in the spherical groove 14 so that the assembly grooves 13 on the two adjacent segment units 12 are oriented in the same direction and the corresponding tendon through holes 15 are aligned, thereby utilizing the difference in the long and short diameters of the ellipsoid 11 to stably assemble the two adjacent segment units 12.

[0092] The inner diameter of the spherical groove 14 is adapted to the long diameter of the ellipsoid 11;

[0093] The obtuse arc-shaped assembly groove 13 allows the ellipsoid 11 to be locked by rotating 90° to form a stable snap-fit ​​structure. For example, during assembly, the short diameter of the ellipsoid 11 is first aligned with the assembly groove 13 and inserted, and then the long diameter is inserted into the spherical groove 14 after rotation. At this time, the tendon through-holes 15 of adjacent segment units 12 are aligned to facilitate the installation of the tendon 19. At the same time, the maximum bending angle between the segments can be modified by modifying the angle under the segment to avoid excessive bending and damage to the structure.

[0094] In summary, to address the issues of multi-layer flexible planar structures and incision-type structures, the maximum bending angle between two adjacent segment units 12 is limited by the constraints between the two adjacent segment units 12, thereby protecting the memory metal flexible strip in the center of the structure from being subjected to excessive bending moments and thus damaged.

[0095] To address the problem of interlocking segment structures, each segment is processed in one piece using 3D printing. The assembly process is simple. It only requires inserting the ellipsoid 11 of the segment unit 12 through the assembly slot 13 into the spherical groove 14 of the previous segment unit 12, and rotating it 90 degrees in the spherical groove 14 so that the tendon through-hole 15 is aligned.

[0096] To address the problem of the serpentine structure, the surface contact between the sphere and the spherical groove of the serpentine structure is changed to point contact between the ellipsoid 11 and the spherical groove 14, which greatly reduces the friction of the flexible segment 1 during the bending process, thereby improving the control accuracy. At the same time, the memory metal flexible strip 19 in the center of the structure can increase the coordination and consistency of the flexible segment 1 during the bending process.

[0097] like Figure 9 As shown in FIG, a driving control method for the terminal flexible body of an endotracheal intubation robot is provided. The method is based on visual autonomous navigation control and has the following specific steps:

[0098] S1. A camera is mounted at the free end of flexible segment 1. After the system is activated, the visual module is used to identify the intubation path and extract visual depth information, including airway topography.

[0099] S2. Perform path analysis based on the extracted depth data and a preset airway model to generate an expected intubation trajectory. After completing a stage of trajectory, generate new data using new depth data.

[0100] S3. Use magnetic sensors to obtain real-time position information of the head and tail of flexible segment 1 for feedback control and trajectory correction;

[0101] S4. The system then determines whether the current posture of the controllable flexible segment could cause airway damage, such as excessive bending or contact with the airway wall. If there is a potential risk, the system adjusts the posture of the flexible segment to a safe position.

[0102] S5. After determining that the flexible segment is in a safe posture, the control system invokes the Model Predictive Control (MPC) module to adjust the motor in the forward and backward displacement module 5 to drive the entire system forward, and adjusts the electric motor in the bending drive module 4 to adjust the curvature of the flexible segment 1, thereby completing the overall advancement of the intubation system.

[0103] S6. The system then determines whether the entire intubation path is completed. If not, it returns to the visual recognition and path planning stage and repeats the above process. If the intubation is completed, the system exits and the intubation process ends.

[0104] Specifically, if Figure 10 As shown in Figure 2, the specific process of the control system calling the model predictive control (MPC) module is as follows:

[0105] A1. Based on the expected trajectory and the real-time pose of flexible segment 1, model predictive control is performed on the flexible segment 1 at the end and the robot's overall forward and backward movement.

[0106] A2. The difference between the pose of flexible segment 1 obtained at the previous moment and the expected pose is compensated by real Jacobian matrix control using recursive least squares (RSL). This is used for model predictive control (MPC) compensation of flexible segment 1 in the next phase. Furthermore, an adaptive disturbance observer (ADO) is used to model the contact friction between flexible segment 1 and the airway at the previous moment to obtain control compensation. This is used for model predictive control (MPC) compensation of the robot's overall forward and backward movement in the next phase.

[0107] Based on the kinematic model of flexible segment 1, the MPC module predicts the position and posture for the next 50 ms and updates the control instructions every 10 ms to achieve dynamic trajectory correction. The RSL algorithm estimates the Jacobian matrix parameters online, compensates for model errors, and improves control accuracy. The ADO estimates the airway friction resistance in real time and adjusts the propulsion force to avoid propulsion stagnation or slipping caused by friction. For example, in an airway with a lot of mucus, the ADO detects an increase in the friction coefficient and automatically increases the propulsion force by 10%-15% to ensure the continuous advancement of flexible segment 1.

[0108] In summary, this method realizes a closed-loop collaborative control process of vision-perception-flexible control-MPC propulsion, has good intubation accuracy and path safety, and is suitable for automated tracheal intubation operations under complex or deformed airway conditions.

[0109] The above description is only a preferred specific embodiment of the present invention, but the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited thereto. Any technician familiar with the technical field, within the technical scope disclosed by the present invention, who makes equivalent replacements or changes based on the technical solution and inventive concept of the present invention, should be covered by the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tracheal intubation robot, characterized in that: The invention comprises a flexible section (1), a fixed bracket (2), a telescopic bracket (3), a bending drive module (4), and a front-back displacement module (5). The fixed bracket (2) is mounted on the front end of the front-back displacement module (5), and the bending drive module (4) is mounted on the movable portion of the rear end of the front-back displacement module (5). The front end of the fixed bracket (2) extends upward and is opposite to the bending drive module (4), and the two are connected via the telescopic bracket (3). One end of the flexible section (1) is connected to the output end of the bending drive module (4), and the other end of the flexible section (1) passes through the telescopic bracket (3) and the fixed bracket (2) and extends forward. The front-back displacement module (5) drives the bending drive module (4) to move horizontally, thereby driving the flexible section (1) to advance or retreat along the intubation direction. The bending drive module (4) drives the flexible section (1) to bend, thereby guiding the flexible section (1) to form the posture required for intubation.

2. The tracheal intubation robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The front and rear displacement module (5) comprises a displacement motor (51), a coupling (52), a support base (53), a synchronous pulley group (54), a screw rod (55), a platform slide (56), a fixed block (57), and a base (58). The front end of the base (58) is provided with a fixed block (57) and is fixed to the bottom of the fixed bracket (2). The screw rod (55) is rotatably arranged in a horizontal groove on the upper end surface of the base (58). The displacement motor (51) is installed at the rear end of the base (58), and the output end of the displacement motor (51) is connected to the shaft end of the screw rod (55) through the synchronous pulley group (54). The platform slide (56) is slidably assembled on the upper end surface of the base (58) and fixed to the threaded pair of the screw rod (55). The bending drive module (4) is installed on the upper end surface of the platform slide (56).

3. The endotracheal intubation robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bending drive module (4) includes a U-shaped support base (41) installed on the movable part of the front and rear displacement modules (5), a drive housing (42) is installed on the upper end of the U-shaped support base (41), a centrally arranged outlet conduit (45) and a fixed bracket (43) located on the periphery of the outlet conduit (45) are installed at the front end of the drive housing (42), the free end of the fixed bracket (43) is connected to the rear end of the telescopic bracket (3), the rear end of the flexible section (1) extends into the outlet conduit (45) and has a plurality of tendons (19) uniformly distributed in the circumferential direction, a plurality of electric motors are installed inside the drive housing (42), the free ends of the plurality of tendons (19) are respectively wound around the output ends of the plurality of electric motors, and the tendons (19) are wound and unwound by the electric motors to achieve circumferential tension control of the flexible section (1) on multiple sides.

4. The tracheal intubation robot according to claim 3, characterized in that: The front and rear ends of the drive housing (42) are respectively installed with a top shell (47) and a bottom shell (46), the fixing bracket (43) and the outlet duct (45) are both installed on the front end surface of the top shell (47), and the front end surface of the top shell (47) is also installed with a plurality of pulley assemblies (44) symmetrically distributed around the periphery of the outlet duct (45). The plurality of pulley assemblies (44) correspond one to one with the plurality of tendons (19) and are used to guide the tendons (19).

5. The tracheal intubation robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The telescopic bracket (3) comprises a plurality of connecting plates arranged parallel to each other, and every two adjacent connecting plates are hingedly connected via connecting rods to form a continuous parallelogram bracket, and the two free ends of the parallelogram bracket are respectively hingedly connected to the fixed bracket (2) and the bending drive module (4).

6. The endotracheal intubation robot according to claim 5, characterized in that: The connecting plate comprises two short connecting plates (31) and a plurality of long connecting plates (32) located between the two short connecting plates (31); the connecting rod comprises a short connecting rod (33) and a long connecting rod (34); the short connecting rod (33) is hingedly installed on both sides of one end of the short connecting plate (31); the other end of the short connecting rod (33) is hingedly installed with one end of the adjacent long connecting plate (32); the long connecting rod (34) is hingedly installed in the middle of the side of the long connecting plate (32); one end of the long connecting rod (34) is hingedly installed with one end of the adjacent long connecting plate (32); the other end of the long connecting rod (34) is hingedly installed with the other end of the adjacent long connecting plate (32) or the short connecting plate (31).

7. A flexible end body of an endotracheal intubation robot, comprising a flexible section (1), characterized in that: The flexible section (1) comprises a plurality of flexible units connected in series via a memory metal flexible strip (18), each flexible unit comprising an ellipsoid (11), a segment unit (12), an assembly slot (13), a spherical groove (14), a tendon through hole (15), a bending through hole (16), and an auxiliary through slot (17); The ellipsoid (11) is installed at the front end of the joint unit (12), the assembly groove (13) and the spherical groove (14) are both opened at the rear end of the joint unit (12), and the spherical groove (14) is located in the middle of one side of the assembly groove (13) close to the ellipsoid (11) and is recessed inwardly, and the two adjacent joint units (12) are connected by the ellipsoid (11) and the assembly groove (13), and the ellipsoid (11) in the assembly groove (13) is rotated by an angle and then connected to the spherical groove (14). The tendon through-hole (15) and the auxiliary through-groove (17) are both provided on the segment unit (12) and penetrate the segment unit (12) from front to back. The number of the tendon through-hole (15) is multiple and symmetrically distributed in a ring. The tendon through-hole (15) is provided with a tendon (19), and the multiple segment units (12) are connected through the tendon (19). The number of the auxiliary through-groove (17) is consistent with the number of the tendon through-hole (15). The auxiliary through-groove (17) is provided between every two adjacent tendon through-holes (15) and is used to place the line required for the terminal camera to pass through. A curved through hole (16) is opened at the center of the segment unit (12) and is coaxially aligned and passes through the front end surface of the ellipsoid (11). A memory metal flexible strip (18) passes through the curved through hole (16) to connect multiple segment units (12) in series.

8. The flexible terminal body of the endotracheal intubation robot according to claim 7, characterized in that: The assembly groove (13) is a groove with an arc-shaped cross section and an obtuse arc center angle. The groove axis is perpendicular to the axis of the segment unit (12), and the inner diameter of the groove is adapted to the short diameter of the ellipsoid (11). The inner diameter of the spherical groove (14) is adapted to the long diameter of the ellipsoid (11).

9. A driving control method for the terminal flexible body of a tracheal intubation robot, characterized in that: This method is based on visual autonomous navigation control, and the specific steps are as follows: A camera is installed at the free end of the flexible segment (1). After the system is started, the visual module is used to identify the intubation path and extract visual depth information including airway morphology; Perform path analysis based on the extracted depth data and the preset airway model to generate the expected intubation trajectory, and generate new data based on the new depth data after completing a stage of trajectory movement; The position information of the head and tail of the flexible segment (1) is obtained in real time by magnetic sensors for feedback control and trajectory correction; The system then determines whether the current posture of the controllable flexible segment may cause damage to the airway. If there is a potential risk, the system adjusts the posture of the flexible segment to make it safe. After determining that the flexible segment is in a safe posture, the control system calls the model predictive control (MPC) module to adjust the motor in the front and rear displacement module (5) to drive the entire system forward, and adjusts the electric motor in the bending drive module (4) to adjust the bending degree of the flexible segment (1), thereby completing the overall advancement of the intubation system; The system then determines whether the entire intubation path is completed. If not, it returns to the visual recognition and path planning stage and repeats the above process. If the intubation is completed, the system exits and the intubation process terminates.

10. The driving control method of the terminal flexible body of the tracheal intubation robot according to claim 9, characterized in that: The specific process of the control system calling the model predictive control (MPC) module is as follows: Through the expected trajectory and the real-time position of the flexible segment (1), the flexible segment (1) at the end and the overall forward and backward movement of the robot are controlled by model prediction; The difference between the posture of the flexible segment (1) obtained by control at the previous moment and the expected posture is compensated by the real Jacobian matrix control of the recursive least square method (RSL), which is used for the compensation of the model predictive control (MPC) of the flexible segment (1) in the next stage. In addition, the contact friction between the flexible segment (1) and the airway at the previous moment is modeled by the adaptive disturbance observer (ADO) to obtain control compensation, which is used for the compensation of the model predictive control (MPC) of the overall forward and backward movement of the robot in the next stage.

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