Surgical robots and their control methods

CN121400977BActive Publication Date: 2026-08-14CORNERSTONE TECH (SHENZHEN) LTD
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2024-07-25
Publication Date
2026-08-14

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

如果套管不匹配,器械杆和套管之间间隙过大,会导致器械运动不平稳,控制不准确,影响手术效果

Benefits of technology

[0007] In this embodiment, the surgical instrument is first controlled to move in a first direction within the cannula, and the first position reached when the instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the first direction is recorded. Then, the surgical instrument is controlled to move in a second direction within the cannula, and the second position reached when the instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the second direction is recorded. Since the first direction includes the radial component of the cannula, and the radial component of the second direction is opposite to the radial component of the first direction, the travel distance between the first and second positions reflects the radial length of the cannula. Therefore, the compatibility between the cannula and the surgical instrument can be automatically determined based on this travel distance. By employing this method, manual identification of the compatibility between the cannula and the surgical instrument is eliminated, preventing operator oversights and improving surgical efficiency.

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Abstract

A surgical robot and its control method are disclosed. The surgical robot includes a holding arm holding a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument being insertable into a cannula. The method includes: controlling the surgical instrument to move within the cannula in a first direction, and recording a first position reached when the surgical instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the first direction; the first direction includes a radial component of the cannula; controlling the surgical instrument to move within the cannula in a second direction, and recording a second position reached when the surgical instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the second direction; the second direction includes a radial component of the cannula, and the radial component included in the first direction is opposite in direction to the radial component included in the second direction; acquiring the travel distance between the first position and the second position, and determining whether the cannula matches the surgical instrument based on the travel distance.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to the field of surgical robot technology, and more particularly to surgical robots and their control methods. Background Technology

[0002] When operating surgical instruments, it is essential to use appropriate cannulas; that is, the inner diameter of the cannula must match the outer diameter of the instrument's shaft. If the cannulas do not match, the gap between the instrument shaft and the cannula will be too large, leading to unstable instrument movement, inaccurate control, and compromised surgical outcomes. Currently, the only way for operators to visually identify the compatibility between the cannula and the surgical instrument is to check the compatibility. If the operator forgets to check the compatibility, the mismatch may only be discovered during the procedure, causing surgical interruption and requiring the cannula to be replaced before continuing, thus impacting surgical efficiency. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In a first aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a control method for a surgical robot, the surgical robot including a surgical arm holding a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument being insertable into a cannula; the method includes: controlling the surgical instrument to move within the cannula in a first direction, and recording a first position reached when the surgical instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the first direction; the first direction including a radial component of the cannula; controlling the surgical instrument to move within the cannula in a second direction, and recording a second position reached when the surgical instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the second direction; the second direction including a radial component of the cannula, and the radial component included in the first direction being opposite in direction to the radial component included in the second direction; acquiring the travel distance between the first position and the second position, and determining whether the cannula matches the surgical instrument based on the travel distance.

[0004] In a second aspect, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the methods described in any embodiment of this disclosure.

[0005] Thirdly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a computer device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the computer program to implement the methods described in any embodiment of this disclosure.

[0006] Fourthly, embodiments of this disclosure provide a surgical robot, the surgical robot comprising: a surgical arm holding a surgical instrument, the surgical instrument being insertable into a cannula; an instrument driver for driving the movement of the surgical instrument held on the surgical arm; and a control console for performing the methods described in any embodiment of this disclosure.

[0007] In this embodiment, the surgical instrument is first controlled to move in a first direction within the cannula, and the first position reached when the instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the first direction is recorded. Then, the surgical instrument is controlled to move in a second direction within the cannula, and the second position reached when the instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the second direction is recorded. Since the first direction includes the radial component of the cannula, and the radial component of the second direction is opposite to the radial component of the first direction, the travel distance between the first and second positions reflects the radial length of the cannula. Therefore, the compatibility between the cannula and the surgical instrument can be automatically determined based on this travel distance. By employing this method, manual identification of the compatibility between the cannula and the surgical instrument is eliminated, preventing operator oversights and improving surgical efficiency.

[0008] It should be understood that the above general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only, and are not intended to limit this disclosure. Attached Figure Description

[0009] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this disclosure, illustrate embodiments consistent with this disclosure and, together with the description, serve to illustrate the technical solutions of this disclosure.

[0010] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0011] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the patient-side robotic arm system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the surgical instruments and cannula according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0013] Figure 4 This is a flowchart of a control method for a surgical robot according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the first direction of movement of the surgical instrument within the cannula according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0015] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the second direction of movement of the surgical instrument within the cannula according to an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0016] Figure 7 This is a comparison diagram of the relationship between the stroke and the casing diameter for different diameter casings according to embodiments of this disclosure.

[0017] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the geometric relationship between the diameter and stroke of the sleeve according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018] Figure 9This is a schematic diagram of the overall flow of an embodiment of this disclosure.

[0019] Figure 10 This is a schematic diagram of a computer device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Detailed Implementation

[0020] Exemplary embodiments will now be described in detail, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. When the following description relates to the drawings, unless otherwise indicated, the same numerals in different drawings denote the same or similar elements. The embodiments described in the following exemplary embodiments do not represent all embodiments consistent with this disclosure. Rather, they are merely examples of apparatuses and methods consistent with some aspects of this disclosure as detailed in the appended claims.

[0021] The terminology used in this disclosure is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. The singular forms “a,” “the,” and “the” as used in this disclosure and the appended claims are also intended to include the plural forms unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It should also be understood that the term “and / or” as used herein refers to and includes any or all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. Additionally, the term “at least one” herein means any combination of at least two of any one or more of a plurality.

[0022] It should be understood that although the terms first, second, third, etc., may be used in this disclosure to describe various information, such information should not be limited to these terms. These terms are used only to distinguish information of the same type from one another. For example, without departing from the scope of this disclosure, first information may also be referred to as second information, and similarly, second information may also be referred to as first information. Depending on the context, the word "if" as used herein may be interpreted as "when," "when," or "in response to determination."

[0023] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure, and to make the above-mentioned objectives, features and advantages of the embodiments of this disclosure more apparent and understandable, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this disclosure will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0024] Surgical Robot 100 is a robot that can be remotely controlled to perform surgery. See [link / reference] Figure 1 , Figure 2 and Figure 3 The surgical robot 100 includes a holding arm 101b-3 for holding a surgical instrument 01, which can be inserted into a cannula 02; an instrument driver 003 for driving the movement of the surgical instrument 01 held on the holding arm 101b-3; and a console 102 for performing various controls and operations.

[0025] The following is a more specific example of the structure of the surgical robot 100. The surgical robot 100 may include three components: a console 102, a patient-side robotic arm system 101, and an imaging system 103.

[0026] The control console 102 includes a display unit for showing the environment of the surgical instrument 01, a doctor's operation control mechanism, and armrests. The display unit has an observation window for the doctor to observe, the operation control mechanism corresponds to the movement of the surgical instrument 01, and the armrests are for supporting the doctor's arms. In addition, the control console 102 may also include other control switches that are easily touched or pressed by hand or foot for various functional operations and human-computer interaction.

[0027] The patient-side robotic arm system 101 includes several robotic arms 101b, each robotic arm 101b having several connecting arms (including...) Figure 2 The robotic arm 101b-1 and the operating arm 101b-2 are connected by two adjacent sections that move relative to each other with specific degrees of freedom, allowing the end of the robotic arm 101b to achieve multiple degrees of freedom (e.g., 7 degrees of freedom, depending on the instrument). The end joint arm of the robotic arm 101b is a holding arm 101b-3, on which an instrument driver 003 is mounted. The surgical instrument 01 or endoscope is detachably mounted on the instrument driver 003.

[0028] The imaging system 103 includes a display screen, an endoscope controller, and an image processor. The screen can display images acquired by the endoscope, the endoscope controller can be used to control the endoscope, and the image processor can perform processing on the images acquired by the endoscope, such as decoding, noise reduction, contrast enhancement, and sharpness improvement.

[0029] The surgical instrument 01 includes a rear-end mechanism 004, a main pipeline 001 extending from the rear-end mechanism 004 to the front end, and an end effector (hereinafter referred to as actuator) 002, which includes a wrist mechanism, located at the front end of the main pipeline 001. Typically, an instrument driver 003 drives the movement of the rear-end mechanism 004 through multiple cables of the main pipeline 001, thereby driving the wrist mechanism. During surgery, a portion of the main pipeline 001 and the wrist mechanism of the surgical instrument 01 can be passed through tissues such as the chest and abdominal wall, replacing the human hand in the surgical procedure.

[0030] When the surgical instrument 01 is not mounted on the instrument actuator 003, the instrument actuator 003 is in the initial position of the holding arm 101b-3, which is the position where the instrument actuator 003 is furthest from the cannula 02. After the surgical instrument 01 is docked to the instrument actuator 003, the surgical robot 100 identifies the type and model of the surgical instrument 01, including the diameter of the surgical instrument 01. After the surgical instrument 01 is identified, the actuator 002 of the surgical instrument 01 can be inserted into the cannula 02. In some cases (e.g., the surgical instrument 01 has been identified as a small-diameter surgical instrument 01), it is necessary to determine whether the diameter of the surgical instrument 01 matches the diameter of the cannula 02. If it is determined that the cannula 02 does not match, the cannula 02 needs to be replaced or a cannula reducer needs to be installed. If it is determined that the cannula 02 matches, the next step can be performed, and the surgical instrument 01 can be inserted into the human body for surgical operations.

[0031] Currently, the only way to identify whether the cannula 02 and the surgical instrument 01 match is through visual inspection by the operator. If the operator forgets to identify the match between the cannula 02 and the surgical instrument 01, the mismatch may be discovered during the operation, causing the operation to be interrupted. The operation can only continue after the cannula 02 is replaced, which affects the efficiency of the operation.

[0032] Based on this, this disclosure provides a control method for a surgical robot 100, see [link to relevant documentation]. Figure 4 and in conjunction with the appendix Figures 1 to 3 The surgical robot 100 includes a surgical arm 101b-3, on which a surgical instrument 01 is held, and the surgical instrument 01 can be inserted into a cannula 02; the method includes:

[0033] Step S11: Control the surgical instrument 01 to move in the first direction within the cannula 02, and record the first position reached when the surgical instrument 01 reaches its maximum range of motion in the first direction; the first direction includes the radial component of the cannula 02;

[0034] Step S12: Control the surgical instrument 01 to move in the second direction within the cannula 02, and record the second position reached when the surgical instrument 01 reaches its maximum range of motion in the second direction; the second direction includes the radial component of the cannula 02, and the radial component included in the first direction is opposite in direction to the radial component included in the second direction.

[0035] Step S13: Obtain the travel distance between the first position and the second position, and determine whether the cannula 02 matches the surgical instrument 01 based on the travel distance.

[0036] The above embodiments record the first position of the surgical instrument 01 when it moves in the first direction within the cannula 02 to reach its maximum range of motion, and the second position of the surgical instrument 01 when it moves in the second direction within the cannula 02 to reach its maximum range of motion. The travel distance between the first and second positions reflects the radial length of the cannula 02. Based on this travel distance, the matching between the cannula 02 and the surgical instrument 01 can be automatically determined, eliminating the need for manual identification of the matching degree between the cannula 02 and the surgical instrument 01, avoiding operator oversights, and improving surgical efficiency. The specific implementation details of the embodiments of this disclosure are illustrated below.

[0037] In step S11, the surgical instrument 01 can be an instrument used for minimally invasive surgery and remote surgical operations, such as an endoscope, microblade, microscissors, micro forceps, catheter, and guidewire. The surgical instrument 01 can be driven by the instrument driver 003 to control its movement within the cannula 02 in a first direction. This first direction includes the radial component of the cannula 02; for example, the first direction can be parallel to the radial component of the cannula 02. Further, the first direction can include both the radial and tangential components of the cannula 02. Figure 5 As shown, the solid arrow V 10 V represents the actual direction of movement of surgical instrument 01 (i.e., the first direction mentioned above). 11 V represents the tangential component of the direction of motion of surgical instrument 01. 12 The radial component represents the direction of movement of the surgical instrument 01. In this embodiment, only the radial component of the cannula 02 is required in the first direction, without restricting whether the first direction includes the tangential component of the cannula 02. This makes the control of the first direction more flexible and reduces the control complexity of the surgical instrument 01.

[0038] Controlling the movement of surgical instrument 01 in the first direction within the cannula 02 can be achieved by controlling the movement of the entire surgical instrument 01 in the first direction within the cannula 02, or by controlling the movement of a specific component of the surgical instrument 01 in the first direction within the cannula 02. For example, if the surgical instrument 01 includes an instrument rod, the movement of the instrument rod in the first direction within the cannula 02 can be controlled.

[0039] In some embodiments, not all types of surgical instruments 01 need to be matched with the cannula 02. For example, some surgical instruments 01 may have a larger diameter, and the mechanical movement of these surgical instruments 01 within the cannula 02 is generally smoother. Based on this, the type of surgical instrument 01 can be identified when it is held on the surgical arm 101b-3. If the surgical instrument 01 is identified as a type that needs to be matched with the cannula 02 (hereinafter referred to as the first type), the method of the present disclosure embodiment can be executed to achieve automatic matching of the surgical instrument 01 and the cannula 02. If the surgical instrument 01 is identified as a type that does not need to be matched with the cannula 02 (hereinafter referred to as the second type), the method of the present disclosure embodiment can be omitted. The second type of surgical instrument 01 has a larger diameter than the first type of surgical instrument 01. Optionally, the first type of surgical instrument 01 can be a surgical instrument 01 with a diameter less than or equal to a preset diameter value. For example, if the outer diameter of a surgical instrument is 8mm and the inner diameter of the standard cannula used is compatible with a 10mm instrument, then this surgical instrument is a first type of surgical instrument. This surgical instrument undergoes the above method before performing the surgical procedure. The second type of surgical instrument 01 can be a surgical instrument 01 with a diameter equal to the preset diameter value. For example, if the outer diameter of another surgical instrument is 10mm, then this surgical instrument is compatible with the standard cannula. In this way, the medical team will not miss the step of adding a variable-diameter cannula to the standard cannula when preparing and configuring the surgical instrument 01, thus avoiding the instability risks that may arise when using surgical instruments with smaller diameters, making the surgical process more efficient. It should be noted that in this method, the standard cannula is the aforementioned cannula 02, and the variable-diameter cannula is another tubular component inserted into the cannula 02.

[0040] In some embodiments, the surgical instrument 01 can be first controlled to return to its zero position, and then controlled to move in the first direction within the cannula 02 from that zero position. The zero position of the surgical instrument 01 typically refers to a known, preset reference position or state, used as the starting point of the operation. The encoder of the instrument driver 003 can measure the surgical instrument 01 to determine whether it is in the zero position. By controlling the surgical instrument 01 to start its movement from this zero position, the starting position of the surgical instrument 01 can be ensured to be accurate and predictable. Starting from this known position allows for more precise control of the instrument's movement and position, especially in situations requiring delicate operations or precise navigation.

[0041] The first position reached by the surgical instrument 01 when it reaches its maximum range of motion in the first direction can be recorded; that is, the first position reached when the surgical instrument 01's movement in the first direction is restricted. Since the movement direction of the surgical instrument 01 includes the radial component of the cannula 02, after a period of movement, the surgical instrument 01 will touch the inner wall of the cannula 02 and be blocked by it, thus reaching a state of restricted movement. At this point, even if the surgical instrument 01 continues to move, its position will no longer change due to the obstruction of the inner wall of the cannula 02.

[0042] In some embodiments, the surgical robot 100 includes an instrument actuator 003, under which the surgical instrument 01 moves driven by the torque output by the instrument actuator 003. Therefore, it can be determined whether the surgical instrument 01 has reached its maximum range of motion based on the torque output by the instrument actuator 003. Specifically, if the torque output by the instrument actuator 003 reaches its upper torque limit, it can be determined that the surgical instrument 01 has reached its maximum range of motion. Otherwise, it can be determined that the surgical instrument 01 has not reached its maximum range of motion. Since the surgical robot 100 can accurately acquire the torque output by the instrument actuator 003, it can accurately determine whether the surgical instrument 01 has reached its maximum range of motion based on the torque output by the instrument actuator 003, thereby improving the matching accuracy between the surgical instrument 01 and the cannula 02. In addition, it can also be determined that the surgical instrument 01 has reached its maximum range of motion based on the change in position, the change in velocity, or other parameters of the surgical instrument 01. For example, when the change in position of the surgical instrument 01 is 0, it can be determined that the surgical instrument 01 has reached its maximum range of motion. Otherwise, it can be determined that the surgical instrument 01 has not reached its maximum range of motion. Similarly, when the change in velocity of surgical instrument 01 is 0, it can be determined that surgical instrument 01 has reached its maximum range of motion. Otherwise, it can be determined that surgical instrument 01 has not reached its maximum range of motion.

[0043] In the example of determining whether the surgical instrument 01 has reached its maximum range of motion based on the torque output by the instrument driver 003, the instrument driver 003 may include a motor for outputting the torque driving the surgical instrument 01. The control parameters of the motor can be read, and based on these parameters, it can be determined whether the torque output by the instrument driver 003 has reached its torque limit. The motor control parameters may include, but are not limited to, at least one of the following: motor output current, output voltage, and motor speed. Taking the output current as an example, the motor output current is usually positively correlated with the motor torque. Therefore, if the output current reaches a preset maximum current value, it can be determined whether the torque output by the instrument driver 003 has reached its torque limit. A current detection device can be installed in the motor circuit to detect the motor output current. Using this method, it is only necessary to read the reading of the current detection device to determine whether the torque output by the instrument driver 003 has reached its torque limit, making the process simple and efficient.

[0044] During the aforementioned control process, the motor drives the movement of the wrist joint or clamp of the surgical instrument 01. For example, the wrist joint or clamp can be driven by a cable; once the wrist joint reaches its torque limit, it will stop moving, and the motor will receive feedback. However, if the cable breaks, the motor can rotate without limit, but the wrist joint cannot be driven, indicating a malfunction in the surgical instrument 01. Therefore, during the control of the surgical instrument 01 moving in the first direction within the sleeve 02, it is also possible to determine whether the speed of the joint of the holding arm 101b-3 exceeds a preset speed threshold within a specified time. If the result is negative, it indicates that the surgical instrument 01 is not malfunctioning, and the first position reached when the surgical instrument 01 reaches its maximum range of motion in the first direction can be recorded. If the result is positive, it indicates that the surgical instrument 01 is malfunctioning, and a prompt message can be output to promptly remind the user to handle the malfunction and ensure the safety of the surgery. The specified time is the time to ensure the safe use of the surgical instrument 01, which can be preset by the user.

[0045] In step S12, the surgical instrument 01 can be controlled to move in the second direction within the cannula 02. Specifically, the surgical instrument 01 can be directly controlled to move in the second direction from the first position. In this control method, the movement of the surgical instrument 01 is highly continuous, and the control and calculation processes are less complex. Alternatively, the surgical instrument 01 can be first controlled to return to its initial position within the cannula 02, and then the surgical instrument 01 can be controlled to move in the second direction from that initial position.

[0046] The second direction also includes the radial component of sleeve 02, and the radial component included in the first direction is opposite to that included in the second direction. See also Figure 6Assuming surgical instrument 01 moves in the first direction to the first position P1, and then starts moving in the second direction from the first position P1, the second direction is shown by the solid arrow V in the figure. 20 As shown. From Figure 6 As can be seen from this, the second direction V 20 Including the tangential component V of sleeve 02 21 The radial component V of sleeve 02 22 And the second direction V 20 Included radial component V 22 With the first direction V 10 Included radial component V 12 The directions are opposite. For the radial component V... 22 With radial component V 12 The magnitude of, and the tangential component V 21 and tangential component V 11 The size and orientation are not limited in this disclosure.

[0047] The second position reached by the surgical instrument 01 when it reaches its maximum range of motion in the second direction can be recorded. The method for determining the second position is similar to that for determining the first position, and will not be repeated here. Since the radial component included in the first direction is opposite to the radial component included in the second direction, the second position reached by the surgical instrument 01 when it reaches its maximum range of motion in the second direction is equivalent to the surgical instrument 01 touching the inner wall of the other side of the cannula 02 (relative to the side where the first position is located).

[0048] In some embodiments, similar to the process of controlling the surgical instrument 01 to move in the first direction within the cannula 02, during the process of controlling the surgical instrument 01 to move in the second direction within the cannula 02, it can also be determined whether the speed of the joint of the surgical arm 101b-3 is greater than a preset speed threshold within a specified time. If the determination result is negative, the second position reached by the surgical instrument 01 when it reaches its maximum range of motion in the second direction can be recorded. If the determination result is positive, it indicates that the surgical instrument 01 has malfunctioned, and a prompt message can be output to promptly remind the user to handle the malfunction and ensure the safety of the surgery.

[0049] To reduce control complexity and facilitate calculation of the travel distance between the first and second positions in subsequent steps, the movement speed of the surgical instrument 01 can be kept constant during its movement in both the first and second directions. Of course, this is just an example; in practical applications, the movement speed of the surgical instrument 01 within the cannula 02 can also vary.

[0050] In step S13, the travel distance between the first position and the second position can be obtained. Since both the first and second directions include the radial component of the sleeve 02, the travel distance between the first and second positions reflects the diameter of the sleeve 02. Figure 7 As shown, d1 and d2 represent the diameters of two cannulas 02 of different sizes, with d1 being smaller than d2; θ1 and θ2 represent the travel distance between the first and second positions of the smaller diameter cannulas 02 and the larger diameter cannulas 02, respectively. It can be seen that the travel distance between the first and second positions is positively correlated with the diameter of the cannulas 02, with the travel distance for the smaller diameter cannulas 02 being less than that for the larger diameter cannulas 02. Therefore, based on the aforementioned travel distance, it can be determined whether the cannulas 02 matches the surgical instrument 01. Specifically, if the travel distance between the first and second positions is not greater than a preset travel threshold, then the cannulas 02 is determined to match the surgical instrument 01. If the travel distance between the first and second positions is greater than the preset travel threshold, then the cannulas 02 is determined to be incompatible with the surgical instrument 01.

[0051] In some embodiments, the first joint angle of the surgical instrument 01 when it is in a first position can be obtained, and the second joint angle of the surgical instrument 01 when it is in a second position can be obtained. The travel distance between the first and second positions is determined based on the difference between the first and second joint angles. The joint angles of the surgical instrument 01 can be measured by a sensor. Using this method, the travel distance between the first and second positions can be determined simply by reading the sensor readings, thereby determining whether the cannula 02 and the surgical instrument 01 are compatible. This method is simple and efficient.

[0052] like Figure 8 As shown, assuming d represents the diameter of cannula 02, L represents the distance the surgical instrument 01 travels from its initial position inside cannula 02 to its first position, and θ represents the travel distance between the first and second positions, then the diameter of cannula 02 and the travel distance between the first and second positions have the following relationship:

[0053]

[0054] If the absolute value of the difference between the first joint angle and the second joint angle is greater than a preset difference, then the travel between the first position and the second position is determined to be greater than a preset travel threshold, thus determining that the cannula 02 and the surgical instrument 01 are mismatched. If the absolute value of the difference between the first joint angle and the second joint angle is not greater than a preset difference, then the travel between the first position and the second position is determined to be less than a preset travel threshold, thus determining that the cannula 02 and the surgical instrument 01 are matched.

[0055] Furthermore, if it is determined that the cannula 02 is incompatible with the surgical instrument 01, at least one of the following steps may be performed:

[0056] (1) Output prompt information. The prompt information may include, but is not limited to, at least one of the following: audible prompt information (e.g., outputting an alarm tone via a buzzer) and visual prompt information (e.g., controlling an indicator light to flash). By outputting prompt information, users can promptly detect any mismatch between the cannula 02 and the surgical instrument 01, and replace the cannula 02 or install a cannula reducer in a timely manner.

[0057] (2) Do not drive the surgical instrument 01. If the cannula 02 is incompatible with the surgical instrument 01 or there is a serious incompatibility, continuing to drive the surgical instrument 01 may lead to dangerous situations during the operation, such as instrument damage, poor surgical results, or threats to patient safety. Doing not drive the surgical instrument 01 can avoid these potential risks and ensure the safety and reliability of the surgical procedure.

[0058] In some embodiments, after determining that the cannula 02 does not match the surgical instrument 01, if the cannula 02 is detected to have been replaced, the system can automatically return to step S11 and re-detect whether the replaced cannula 02 matches the surgical instrument 01.

[0059] The method of this disclosure embodiment can be executed by the console 102, or it can be executed by a detection chip installed in the bushing reducer and bushing 02. Figure 9 The overall flow of this disclosure embodiment is shown, specifically including the following steps:

[0060] Step S21: Surgical instrument 01 returns to the zero position.

[0061] Step S22: Control the wrist joint of surgical instrument 01 to move in the first direction at a constant speed.

[0062] Step S23: Read the motor control parameters to determine if the motor movement has reached the torque limit.

[0063] Step S24: Determine whether the joint angle of surgical instrument 01 is less than or equal to a preset speed threshold within a specified time. If yes, proceed to step S25; otherwise, end the process.

[0064] Step S25: Record the current angle of the first joint when the surgical instrument 01 stops moving.

[0065] Step S26: Control the wrist joint of the surgical instrument 01 to move in the second direction at a constant speed. The speed at which the surgical instrument 01 moves in the second direction can be the same as or different from its speed when moving in the first direction.

[0066] Step S27: Determine whether the joint angle of surgical instrument 01 is less than or equal to a preset speed threshold within a specified time. If yes, proceed to step S28; otherwise, end the process.

[0067] Step S28: Record the current angle of the second joint when the surgical instrument 01 stops moving.

[0068] Step S29: Determine whether the absolute value of the difference between the first joint angle and the second joint angle is less than or equal to a preset angle threshold. If yes, determine that the cannula 02 matches the surgical instrument 01 (step S30); otherwise, determine that the cannula 02 does not match the surgical instrument 01 (step S31).

[0069] This disclosure also provides a computer device, which includes at least a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor executes the program to implement the methods described in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0070] Figure 10 This illustration shows a more specific hardware structure diagram of a computing device provided in an embodiment of the present disclosure. The device may include: a processor 1001, a memory 1002, an input / output interface 1003, a communication interface 1004, and a bus 1005. The processor 1001, memory 1002, input / output interface 1003, and communication interface 1004 are interconnected internally via the bus 1005.

[0071] The processor 1001 can be implemented using a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), microprocessor, application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or one or more integrated circuits, and is used to execute relevant programs to implement the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this disclosure. The processor 1001 may also include a graphics card, such as an Nvidia Titan X graphics card or a 1080Ti graphics card.

[0072] The memory 1002 can be implemented in the form of read-only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), static storage device, dynamic storage device, etc. The memory 1002 can store the operating system and other applications. When the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of this disclosure are implemented by software or firmware, the relevant program code is stored in the memory 1002 and is called and executed by the processor 1001.

[0073] The input / output interface 1003 is used to connect input / output modules to realize information input and output. Input / output modules can be configured as components within the device (not shown in the figure) or externally connected to the device to provide corresponding functions. Input devices may include keyboards, mice, touchscreens, microphones, various sensors, etc., while output devices may include displays, speakers, vibrators, indicator lights, etc.

[0074] The communication interface 1004 is used to connect a communication module (not shown in the figure) to enable communication between this device and other devices. The communication module can communicate via wired means (such as USB, Ethernet cable, etc.) or wireless means (such as mobile network, WIFI, Bluetooth, etc.).

[0075] Bus 1005 includes a pathway for transmitting information between various components of the device (e.g., processor 1001, memory 1002, input / output interface 1003, and communication interface 1004).

[0076] It should be noted that although the above-described device only shows the processor 1001, memory 1002, input / output interface 1003, communication interface 1004, and bus 1005, in specific implementations, the device may also include other components necessary for normal operation. Furthermore, those skilled in the art will understand that the above-described device may only include the components necessary for implementing the embodiments of this disclosure, and not necessarily all the components shown in the figures.

[0077] This disclosure also provides a computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, implements the methods described in any of the foregoing embodiments.

[0078] Computer-readable media includes both permanent and non-permanent, removable and non-removable media that can store information using any method or technology. Information can be computer-readable instructions, data structures, modules of programs, or other data. Examples of computer storage media include, but are not limited to, phase-change memory (PRAM), static random access memory (SRAM), dynamic random access memory (DRAM), other types of random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies, CD-ROM, digital versatile optical disc (DVD) or other optical storage, magnetic tape, magnetic magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-transferable medium that can be used to store information accessible by a computing device. As defined herein, computer-readable media does not include transient computer-readable media, such as modulated data signals and carrier waves.

[0079] As can be seen from the above description of the embodiments, those skilled in the art can clearly understand that the embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented by means of software plus necessary general-purpose hardware platforms. Based on this understanding, the technical solutions of the embodiments of this disclosure, in essence or the part that contributes to the prior art, can be embodied in the form of a software product. This computer software product can be stored in a storage medium, such as ROM / RAM, magnetic disk, optical disk, etc., and includes several instructions to cause a computer device (which may be a personal computer, server, or network device, etc.) to execute the methods described in various embodiments or some parts of the embodiments of this disclosure.

[0080] The systems, devices, modules, or units described in the above embodiments can be implemented by computer devices or entities, or by products with certain functions. A typical implementation device is a computer, which can be a personal computer, laptop computer, cellular phone, camera phone, smartphone, personal digital assistant, media player, navigation device, email sending and receiving device, game console 102, tablet computer, wearable device, or any combination of these devices.

[0081] The various embodiments in this disclosure are described in a progressive manner. Similar or identical parts between embodiments can be referred to mutually. Each embodiment focuses on describing the differences from other embodiments. In particular, the device embodiments are basically similar to the method embodiments, so the description is relatively simple; relevant parts can be referred to the descriptions in the method embodiments. The device embodiments described above are merely illustrative. The modules described as separate components may or may not be physically separate. When implementing the embodiments of this disclosure, the functions of each module can be implemented in one or more software and / or hardware. Alternatively, some or all of the modules can be selected to achieve the purpose of this embodiment according to actual needs. Those skilled in the art can understand and implement this without creative effort.

[0082] The above description is merely a specific implementation of the embodiments of this disclosure. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principles of the embodiments of this disclosure, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the protection scope of the embodiments of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A control method for a surgical robot, characterized in that, The surgical robot includes a surgical arm holding surgical instruments, which are insertable into a cannula; the method includes: The surgical instrument is controlled to move within the cannula in a first direction, and a first position is recorded when the surgical instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the first direction; the first direction includes the radial component of the cannula. The surgical instrument is controlled to move within the cannula in a second direction, and a second position is recorded when the surgical instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the second direction; the second direction includes the radial component of the cannula, and the radial component included in the first direction is opposite in direction to the radial component included in the second direction. The travel distance between the first position and the second position is obtained, and the cannula is determined to be compatible with the surgical instrument based on the travel distance.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control of the surgical instrument to move in a first direction within the cannula includes: When the surgical instrument is held on the surgical arm, the type of the surgical instrument is identified; the type includes a first type and a second type, wherein the diameter of the surgical instrument of the first type is smaller than the diameter of the cannula, and the diameter of the surgical instrument of the second type is adapted to the diameter of the cannula. If the type of surgical instrument is the first type, control the surgical instrument to move in the first direction within the cannula.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control of the surgical instrument to move in a first direction within the cannula includes: Control the surgical instruments to return to the zero position; The surgical instrument is controlled to move in the first direction from the zero position within the cannula.

4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The control of the surgical instrument to move in the second direction within the cannula includes: The surgical instrument is controlled to move in a second direction from the first position within the cannula.

5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, During the movement of the surgical instrument toward the first direction and toward the second direction, the speed of the surgical instrument remains constant.

6. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surgical robot further includes an instrument actuator, the surgical instruments moving under the drive of torque output by the instrument actuator; the method further includes: If the torque output by the instrument driver reaches the upper torque limit, it is determined that the surgical instrument has reached its maximum range of motion.

7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The instrument driver includes a motor for outputting the torque; the method further includes: Read the control parameters of the motor; Based on the control parameters, determine whether the torque output by the instrument driver has reached the upper torque limit.

8. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The recording of the first position reached when the surgical instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the first direction includes: During the process of controlling the surgical instrument to move in the first direction within the cannula, it is determined whether the speed of the joint of the surgical instrument is greater than a preset speed threshold within a specified time. If not, record the first position reached when the surgical instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the first direction; and / or The recording of the second position reached when the surgical instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the second direction includes: During the process of controlling the surgical instrument to move in the second direction within the cannula, it is determined whether the speed of the joint of the surgical instrument is greater than a preset speed threshold within a specified time. If not, record the second position reached when the surgical instrument reaches its maximum range of motion in the second direction.

9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that, The step of obtaining the journey between the first position and the second position includes: Obtain the first joint angle of the surgical instrument when it is in the first position; Obtain the second joint angle of the surgical instrument when it is in the second position; The travel distance between the first position and the second position is determined based on the difference between the first joint angle and the second joint angle.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, If the absolute value of the difference between the first joint angle and the second joint angle is greater than a preset difference, it is determined that the travel distance between the first position and the second position is greater than a preset travel threshold. If the absolute value of the difference between the first joint angle and the second joint angle is not greater than a preset difference, it is determined that the travel distance between the first position and the second position is not greater than a preset travel threshold.

11. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The step of determining whether the cannula matches the surgical instrument based on the travel includes: If the travel distance between the first position and the second position is not greater than a preset travel threshold, it is determined that the cannula matches the surgical instrument. If the travel distance between the first position and the second position is greater than a preset travel threshold, it is determined that the cannula and the surgical instrument are incompatible.

12. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: If it is determined that the cannula is incompatible with the surgical instrument, perform at least one of the following steps: Output prompt message; and The surgical instruments must not be driven.

13. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, The method further includes: After determining that the cannula is incompatible with the surgical instrument, if the cannula is detected to have been replaced, the process returns to the step of controlling the surgical instrument to move in the first direction.

14. A computer-readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon, characterized in that, When executed by a processor, the computer program implements the method described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A computer device comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the computer program, it implements the method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

16. A surgical robot, characterized in that, The surgical robot includes: A surgical arm, on which a surgical instrument is held, the surgical instrument being insertable into a cannula; Instrument driver, used to drive the movement of surgical instruments held on the instrument arm; A console for performing the method described in any one of claims 1 to 13.

Citation Information

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