System and method for monitoring vibrations in surgical robots

Abstract

A system for monitoring vibrations induced in a surgical robot includes an end effector having a first marker coupled thereto, a human interface device (HID) for actuating the end effector, and a processor communicatively coupled to the HID. The processor is configured to actuate the end effector based on inputs provided by the HID and to detect an actual position of the first marker attached to the end effector. Further, the processor is configured to determine an expected position of the marker based on a kinematic model of the surgical robot and the inputs provided by the HID and to determine a position error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker.

Description

[0001] priority This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 596,553, filed November 6, 2023, entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FORMONITORING VIBRATION IN SURGICAL ROBOTS”, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Technical Field

[0002] This disclosure relates to the field of surgical robots, and particularly to the field of surgical robots for minimally invasive and non-invasive surgical procedures. Background Technology

[0003] Surgical robots have become increasingly prevalent in modern medicine, offering surgeons improved surgical precision, reduced invasiveness, and enhanced flexibility. These systems typically employ one or more robotic arms equipped with a variety of surgical instruments to perform complex tasks inside the patient's body. Such tasks can include tissue manipulation, suturing, cauterization, and precise incisions, among others. Summary of the Invention

[0004] An embodiment of a method includes: (a) attaching a first marker to an end effector of a surgical robot; (b) actuating the end effector based on input provided by a human-machine interface device (HID) of the surgical robot; (c) detecting the actual position of the first marker attached to the end effector; (d) determining the expected position of the first marker based on a kinematic model of the surgical robot and the input provided by the HID; and (e) determining a positional error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker. In some embodiments, the method includes terminating actuation of the end effector in response to the positional error exceeding a predefined threshold. In some embodiments, the method includes attaching a second marker to the HID. In some embodiments, input from the HID is generated in response to moving the HID along a predefined trajectory. In some embodiments, the first marker includes an optical marker, and (c) includes optically monitoring the position of the optical marker by an optical device when the end effector is actuated. In some embodiments, the end effector moves along a predefined test trajectory based on input provided by the HID. In some embodiments, the expected position corresponds to a position along a predefined expected trajectory of the first marker. In some embodiments, the method includes determining at least the 90th percentile of the position error across the actual trajectory of a first marker, including its actual position. In some embodiments, the method includes defining an error metric corresponding to (E_mean + 2xE_SD), where E_mean includes the average position error, x includes a predefined constant, and E_SD includes the standard deviation of the position error; and determining the acceptability of vibrations induced in the surgical robot by determining whether the error metric meets or exceeds a predefined error threshold. In some embodiments, the method includes determining the acceptability of vibrations induced in the surgical robot by determining whether the position error meets or exceeds a predefined error threshold. In some embodiments, the method includes inferring the position error of the end effector based on the position error between the actual position of the first marker determined at (e) and the expected position of the first marker. In some embodiments, the actual position includes a first actual position of the first marker corresponding to a first time period occurring when the end effector is actuated, and the expected position includes a first expected position corresponding to the first time period and based on a kinematic model and inputs provided by the HID during the first time period. In some embodiments, the method includes: determining a second predicted position of a first marker, the second predicted position corresponding to a second time period and based on a kinematic model and the input provided by HID during the second time period, wherein the second time period follows the first time period; and determining a second position error between a second actual position of the first marker corresponding to the second time period and the second predicted position of the first marker.

[0005] An embodiment of a system for monitoring vibrations induced in a surgical robot includes: an end effector having a first marker attached thereto; a human-machine interface device (HID) for actuating the end effector; and a processor communicatively coupled to the HID, wherein the processor is configured to: actuate the end effector based on inputs provided by the HID; detect the actual position of the first marker attached to the end effector; determine the expected position of the marker based on a kinematic model of the surgical robot and the inputs provided by the HID; and determine a positional error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker. In some embodiments, the processor is configured to determine at least the 90th percentile of the positional error across the actual trajectory of the first marker, including the actual position. In some embodiments, the processor is configured to define an error metric corresponding to (E_mean + KE_SD), where E_mean includes the average positional error, K includes a predefined constant, and E_SD includes the standard deviation of the positional error; and determine the acceptability of vibrations induced in the surgical robot by determining whether the error metric meets or exceeds a predefined error threshold. In some embodiments, the processor is configured to determine the acceptability of vibrations induced in the surgical robot by determining whether a positional error meets or exceeds a predefined error threshold. In some embodiments, the first marker includes an optical marker. In some embodiments, the system includes a second marker coupled to the HID. In some embodiments, the first marker includes an optical marker, and the processor is configured to monitor the position of the optical marker when the end effector is actuated by optics communicatively coupled to the processor.

[0006] An embodiment of a method includes: (a) actuating a first end effector of a surgical robot based on a first input provided by a first human-machine interface device (HID) of the surgical robot; (b) attaching a first marker to a second end effector of the surgical robot; (c) detecting the actual position of the first marker attached to the second end effector; (d) determining the expected position of the first marker; and (e) determining a positional error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker. In some embodiments, (a) includes at least one of: moving a surgical table to which the first end effector is attached; and repositioning a robotic arm to which the first end effector is attached. In some embodiments, the expected position includes a single resting position of the first marker. In some embodiments, the method includes actuating a second end effector based on a second input provided by a second HID of the surgical robot, wherein the expected position is based on a kinematic model of the surgical robot and the second input provided by the second HID.

[0007] It should be noted that the various embodiments described above can be combined with any other embodiments described herein. The features and advantages described in the specification are not exhaustive, and in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art, taking into account the drawings, specification, and claims. Furthermore, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been chosen primarily for readability and guidance purposes and may not be intended to depict or limit the subject matter of the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0008] The disclosed aspects will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which are provided to illustrate rather than limit the disclosed aspects, wherein similar reference numerals denote similar elements.

[0009] Figure 1 Vibration is illustrated in an exemplary surgical robot according to some implementation schemes.

[0010] Figure 2 Exemplary surgical robots according to some implementation schemes are illustrated.

[0011] Figure 3 Examples are given based on some implementation schemes. Figure 2 Components of a surgical robot.

[0012] Figure 4 Examples are given based on some implementation schemes. Figure 2 An exemplary controller for a surgical robot.

[0013] Figure 5A Examples Figure 2 A side view of an exemplary robotic arm of a surgical robot, wherein medical tools are loaded and the robotic arm is in a jointed state.

[0014] Figure 5B Examples Figure 5A A side view of a robotic arm, showing it without medical instruments and in an extended position.

[0015] Figure 5C Examples Figure 5A A perspective view of a robotic arm, which is loaded with medical tools and is in a state of joint movement.

[0016] Figure 6 Examples of monitoring methods based on some implementation schemes are shown. Figure 2 An exemplary system of vibration in a surgical robot.

[0017] Figure 7 Examples are illustrated based on descriptions of some implementation schemes. Figure 6 A graph showing the actual and expected positions of markers over time in a vibration monitoring system.

[0018] Figure 8 Examples are illustrated based on descriptions of some implementation schemes. Figure 6 The graph shows the actual trajectory of the marker and the expected test trajectory of the marker in the vibration monitoring system.

[0019] Figure 9 Examples are illustrated based on descriptions of some implementation schemes. Figure 6 A curve showing the positional error of a marker over time in a vibration monitoring system.

[0020] Figure 10 Examples are illustrated based on descriptions of some implementation schemes. Figure 6 A graph showing the actual trajectory of a marker in a vibration monitoring system.

[0021] Figure 11 Examples are illustrated based on descriptions of some implementation schemes. Figure 6 A curve showing the positional error of a marker over time in a vibration monitoring system.

[0022] Figure 12 Examples of uses based on some implementation schemes are shown. Figure 6 A flowchart illustrating an exemplary method for monitoring vibrations in a surgical robot using a vibration monitoring system.

[0023] Figure 13 Examples of uses based on some implementation schemes are shown. Figure 6 A flowchart of another exemplary method for monitoring vibrations in a surgical robot using a vibration monitoring system.

[0024] Figure 14 This is an example based on some implementation schemes. Figure 2 A schematic diagram of the electronic components of a surgical robot. Detailed Implementation

[0025] This application discloses a system and method for monitoring vibrations in surgical robots used in medical procedures such as minimally invasive and non-invasive surgery. As will be discussed further, vibrations induced in a surgical robot during operation can interfere with a user's ability to perform surgical procedures using the surgical robot. Such vibrations can be caused by various sources within the system or by external inputs to the system. For example, vibrations can be caused by the movement of the surgical robot's robotic arm and physical contact with external objects, such as the patient's body, the operator of the surgical robot, etc. Vibrations induced in a surgical robot can manifest as static position errors, oscillations, or tremors in the robotic arm, thereby affecting its stability, accuracy, and overall performance.

[0026] If not properly addressed during the design and testing of a surgical robot, vibrations within the robot can impair the accuracy and precision of surgical procedures performed using it. For example, even the slightest deviation of a surgical instrument manipulated by the robot (e.g., via the system's robotic arm) from its intended position or path can have serious consequences for patient safety and the success of the corresponding surgical procedure. Therefore, addressing vibration-related issues is crucial to ensuring the surgical robot's ability to perform precise surgical tasks.

[0027] Here, several specific examples of problems that excessive vibration in surgical robots can cause are described. Excessive vibration can lead to unexpected tissue trauma and injury during surgical procedures. Excessive vibration can also cause excessive positional errors in surgical instruments carried by a given robotic arm, or may cause oscillations, which in turn may lead to unintended tissue displacement or injury. Furthermore, prolonged exposure to excessive vibration can cause discomfort and fatigue for surgeons operating surgical robots due to the difficulty they encounter in correctly positioning medical instruments manipulated by the surgical robot. Specifically, the need to compensate for vibration and maintain control of the robotic arm can lead to physical strain and decreased surgeon performance. Some other challenges of excessive vibration are interference with precise control of surgical instruments in the operating room and when surgeons manipulate tissues and perform delicate manipulations. These challenges can propagate through the mechanical components of the system and may lead to malfunctions, calibration errors, or other disruptions between system components.

[0028] Given these issues, innovative solutions are needed to minimize vibrations induced by surgical robots during their operation, especially considering the limited attention paid to addressing these problems in conventional surgical robots. Successfully solving these challenges will enhance the safety, reliability, and performance of surgical robots. This disclosure seeks to address these issues and provide more efficient methods for performing minimally invasive and non-invasive surgical procedures.

[0029] Specifically, surgical robots are subjected to various forms of vibration during procedures performed using them. It is understandable that vibrations encountered by a surgical robot during operation can be disruptive to the user performing the procedure. For example, vibrations encountered during operation may require significant cognitive compensation from the user in an attempt to correct the vibrations so that the user can successfully perform the intended procedure. Furthermore, significant vibrations encountered during operation may make the continuation of the procedure unsafe (e.g., vibrations may cause the user to make mistakes during the procedure) or force the user to perform the procedure at a slower pace, thereby undesirably prolonging the operation time.

[0030] One form of vibration encountered by surgical robots during operation includes self-excitation. For example, and now referring to... Figure 1An embodiment of a surgical robot 10 is illustrated, which participates in manipulation and is subjected to vibration, including self-excitation. Specifically, in this exemplary embodiment, the surgical robot 10 typically includes a base or support structure 12 and a plurality of robotic arms 20 coupled to the base 12 (for clarity, in...). Figure 1 (Indicated as 20-1 and 20-2). The base 12 may also include a pair of adapters or multiple connectors 14 coupled to the proximal ends of a pair of robotic arms 20. Additionally, each robotic arm 20 includes multiple links 22 and multiple joints 24 coupled between the links 22 to provide the robotic arm 20 with a desired number of degrees of freedom (DoF). Furthermore, each robotic arm 20 is coupled to an end effector 26, such as a medical device or tool used by the surgical robot 10 to perform medical or surgical procedures.

[0031] like Figure 1 As shown, during operation, one or more joints 24 of the first robotic arm 20-1 of the surgical robot 10 can be activated to intentionally move one or more corresponding links 22 of the first robotic arm 20-1 (by... Figure 1 (As indicated by arrow 23 in the diagram), this can cause unexpected vibrations or movements in the activated robotic arm 20-1 (in... Figure 1 (Indicated by the number 25). It should be noted that vibration or motion may sometimes be referred to as self-excitation of the activated robotic arm 20-1. In other words, self-excitation refers to vibration induced in the robotic arm of a surgical robot (e.g., one of the robotic arms 20 of surgical robot 10) by the motion of the corresponding robotic arm in an activated state. As used herein, the term "activated state" for the reference robotic arm is defined as meaning the state of the corresponding robotic arm, which includes at least one link of the robotic arm being in motion relative to the proximal end of the robotic arm coupled to the base or other support structure.

[0032] Self-excitation of the corresponding robotic arm of a surgical robot can manifest as tracking error, which, in at least some cases, can be particularly disturbing to the user of the surgical robot. Specifically, the term "tracking error" is defined herein as referring to the unintended movement of the robotic arm (or the end effector coupled to the robotic arm) of a surgical robot when it is active. In other words, tracking error corresponds to the movement of the active robotic arm that is not expected by the user. Compared to low-frequency or quasi-static errors, tracking error can manifest as relatively high-frequency transient unintended movements. In low-frequency or quasi-static errors, given the limited reaction time of a human operator, high-frequency unintended movements can be particularly difficult for the user to interpret (e.g., the frequency of the tracking error may exceed the user's reaction time).

[0033] Besides self-excitation as described above, another source of vibration that can occur when performing operations using a surgical robot is crosstalk. Specifically, the term "crosstalk" is defined here as meaning when the movement of the first robotic arm of a surgical robot, which is in an active state, causes unintended movement of the second robotic arm of the surgical robot (which may be stationary or active). For example, Figure 1 The movement of the first robotic arm 20-1 of the surgical robot 10 shown causes an unexpected movement of the end effector 26 of the second robotic arm 20-2 (in Figure 1 (represented by the number 27). Specifically, the force and / or torque generated by the expected movement 23 of the first robotic arm 20-1 can be transmitted through the first robotic arm 20-1, the base 12, and the second robotic arm 20-2 (by...). Figure 1 As indicated by arrow 29 in the diagram, vibrations are transmitted to the end effector 26 coupled to the second robotic arm 20-2, resulting in unintended motion or crosstalk 27. In addition to crosstalk, vibrations can also be transmitted from the operating table or support structure below to the robotic arm supported by the operating table. Such vibrations (including crosstalk) can be particularly disruptive to the user of the surgical robot, who relies on these sensors to control other robotic arms currently activated (e.g., in an active state). Therefore, crosstalk exhibited in sensors can make it significantly more difficult for the user to accurately control the active robotic arm.

[0034] Vibrations induced in a surgical robot (including self-excitation and crosstalk as described above) can cause positional errors, where the actual position of an end effector manipulated by the surgical robot deviates from its intended position (e.g., as expected by the user of the surgical robot). This deviation from the intended position can limit the accuracy of the end effector when performing surgical dialogue, pose a risk of collisions between the end effector and external objects, and generally reduce the usability of the surgical robot, as described in more detail above.

[0035] The exemplary systems and methods described herein for monitoring vibrations in surgical robots address the aforementioned problems by determining a positional error corresponding to the difference between the actual position and the expected position of an end effector of the surgical robot. In some embodiments, the end effector is actuated based on input provided by a human-machine interface (HID) device of the surgical robot. In some embodiments, the HID may include a haptic interface device. In some embodiments, the expected or anticipated position of the end effector may be determined based on a kinematic model of the surgical robot and the input provided by the HID. In some embodiments, the actual position of the end effector may be monitored by sensors, such as image sensors or cameras. For example, identifiers or markers (e.g., optical markers) may be attached to the end effector to facilitate sensor monitoring of the end effector.

[0036] In addition to determining the positional error between the expected / prospective position and the actual position of the end effector, some implementations compare the positional error to a predefined reference threshold or standard to assess the operational suitability of the surgical robot. For example, a surgical robot with a positional error greater than a reference standard may be considered unsuitable for operation, and the corresponding surgical robot may be repaired, refurbished, reconfigured, recalibrated, etc., and then retested to determine whether the surgical robot operates within the expected measurement range.

[0037] Now for reference Figure 2 An exemplary robotic surgical or medical system 200 is illustrated. The surgical robot 200 includes a patient platform 202 (e.g., a patient platform, operating table, bed) that includes a support 204 (e.g., a rigid frame). The two ends along the longitudinal length of the patient platform 202 are referred to herein as the “head” and “legs”, respectively. Furthermore, the two lateral sides of the patient platform 202 are referred to herein as the “left side” and “right side”, respectively.

[0038] In addition to the patient platform 202, in this exemplary embodiment, the surgical robot 200 may also include a base 206 for supporting the surgical robot 200. The base 206 includes a plurality of wheels 208 that allow the surgical robot 200 to be easily moved or repositioned in the physical environment. In some embodiments, the wheels 208 are retractable, can be replaced by feet, or can be omitted entirely from the surgical robot 200, leaving the base 206 resting directly on the ground.

[0039] The surgical robot 200 includes one or more robotic arms 210. In some embodiments, the robotic arms 210 may be configured to perform robotic medical procedures, including, for example, minimally invasive procedures such as laparoscopic surgery. Additionally, although... Figure 2Five robotic arms 210 are illustrated, but it should be understood that the surgical robot 200 may include any number of robotic arms 210, including fewer than five (e.g., four arms), or six or more.

[0040] The surgical robot 200 also includes one or more support rails 220 (e.g., adjustable arm supports or adjustable rods) supporting the robotic arms 210. Each robotic arm 210 is supported on and movably coupled to a support rail 220 by a corresponding base joint of the robotic arm 210. In some embodiments, the support rails 220 may provide several DoFs, including lifting, lateral translation, tilting, etc. Each of the robotic arms 210 and / or support rails 220 may also be referred to as a corresponding kinematic chain. Additionally, in this exemplary embodiment and as... Figure 2 As illustrated, three robotic arms 210 are supported by support rails 220 located in the field of view of the figure, positioned along the left side of the patient support platform. The remaining two robotic arms 210 are supported by another support rail 220 positioned laterally along the opposite side of the patient platform 202.

[0041] In some embodiments, support rails 220 provide a base position for one or more of the robotic arms 210 for robotic medical procedures. The robotic arms 210 can be positioned relative to the patient platform 202 by translating the robotic arm along the length of the support rail 220 beneath it and / or by adjusting the position and / or orientation of the robotic arms 210 via one or more joints and / or links. In some embodiments, the pose of a given support rail 220 can be changed via manual manipulation, remote operation, and / or power-assisted motion. For example, in some embodiments, the support rail 220 can be translated along the length of the patient support platform 202. In some embodiments, translation of the support rail 220 along the length of the patient platform 202 results in one or more of the robotic arms 210 supported by the support rail 220 translating simultaneously with or relative to the respective support rail 220. In some embodiments, the support rail 220 can be translated while keeping one or more of the robotic arms stationary relative to the base 206 of the surgical robot 200. Additionally, in this exemplary embodiment, the support rail 220 is positioned along the length of the patient platform 202. In some embodiments, the support rail 220 may extend across a portion or the entire length of the patient platform 202, and / or across a portion or the entire width of the patient platform 202.

[0042] According to some implementations, during robotic medical procedures, one or more robotic arms in robotic arm 210 may also be configured to hold an end effector (e.g., a robot-controlled medical device or tool, such as an endoscope and / or any other device that may be used during surgery, such as a sensor, lighting device, cutting device, etc.)) and / or be coupled to one or more attachments, including one or more cannulas.

[0043] refer to Figure 3 In some embodiments, the surgical robot described herein (e.g., surgical robot 200) includes a tower 230 (e.g., a tower viewer) and / or a physician console 240 (or both). The tower 230 may provide support for controls, electronics, fluids, optics, sensors, and / or power for both the patient platform 202 and the physician console 240. In some embodiments, the tower 230 includes a display device 232 that includes a user interface for displaying surgical views and / or one or more notifications obtained by one or more cameras of the surgical robot to the operator of the surgical robot. In some embodiments, the physician console 240 includes a display device 242 having a user interface usable by a physician operator for operating the patient platform 202. For example, the display device 242 may include a user interface for displaying surgical views and / or one or more notifications obtained by one or more cameras of the surgical robot to the operator of the surgical robot. The physician console 240 may provide the physician operator with preoperative and real-time information on robot control and medical procedures. In some embodiments, the physician console 240 includes one or more input devices (e.g., buttons, switches, touch-sensitive surfaces, gimbals, etc.), such as, for example, a foot switch 244. Additionally, in some embodiments, the physician console 240 includes one or more human-machine interface (HID) devices that provide force and tactile feedback to the user when the user interacts with the physician console 240.

[0044] refer to Figure 4 In some embodiments, the surgical robot described herein includes a HID 480 for actuating the end effector of the surgical robot. In this exemplary embodiment, the HID 480 includes a hybrid HID that may have both impedance and admittance control. In other embodiments, the HID 480 may utilize only impedance or passive control. In other embodiments, the HID 480 may utilize only admittance control. By being a hybrid HID, the HID 480 advantageously has lower perceived inertia during use.

[0045] like Figure 4As shown, in this exemplary embodiment, the HID 480 is configured to allow manipulation of a pair of end effectors and includes a pair of handles 482. The handles 482 can be operated by a human operator (e.g., a physician) or by an attached robotic arm (e.g., via a gripper or handle of the attached robotic arm). Each handle in the handles 482 is connected to a gimbal 484 of the HID 480. Furthermore, each gimbal 484 is connected to a positioning platform 486 of the HID 480. In this exemplary embodiment, each positioning platform 486 includes a robotic arm, such as a SCARA arm (Selective Compliant Assembly Robotic Arm) 488, which is coupled to a post 490 of the HID 480 via a prism joint 492. The prism joint 492 is configured to translate along the post 490 (e.g., along a track 494 of the post 490) to allow each handle in the handles 482 to... Figure 4 The robot arm 488 is translated in the z-direction, thus providing the first degree of freedom. Furthermore, the robot arm 488 is configured to allow the handle 482 to... Figure 4 The motion is shown in the xy plane, thus providing two additional degrees of freedom.

[0046] In some embodiments, one or more load sensors are positioned within or on the HID 480. For example, in some embodiments, the load sensors are positioned within the body of each gimbal in the gimbal 484. By providing load sensors, the portions of the HID 480 can operate under admittance control, thereby advantageously reducing the sensing inertia of the HID 480 during use. In some embodiments, the positioning platform 486 is configured for admittance control, while the gimbal 484 is configured for impedance control. In other embodiments, the gimbal 484 is configured for admittance control, while the positioning platform 486 is configured for impedance control. Thus, for some embodiments, the translational or positional degrees of freedom of the positioning platform 486 may depend on admittance control, while the rotational degrees of freedom of the gimbal 484 may depend on impedance control.

[0047] Now for reference Figures 5A to 5C The image shows different views of an exemplary robotic arm 210 according to some embodiments. Specifically, in this exemplary embodiment, the robotic arm 210 includes a plurality of links 302 (e.g., a linkage mechanism), which links in... Figures 5A to 5C The middle indicators are 302-1 to 302-4, which are composed of one or more joints 304 (in Figures 5A to 5C The connection is indicated as 304-1 to 304-6. It can be understood that each joint in joint 304 includes one or more DoFs.

[0048] exist Figure 5AIn this design, joint 304 includes a first joint 304-1 (e.g., a base joint or A0 joint) located at or near the base 306 of the robotic arm 210. In some embodiments, the base joint 304-1 includes a prismatic joint that allows the robotic arm 210 to translate along the support rail 220. Joint 304 also includes a second joint 304-2, which in some embodiments rotates relative to the base joint 304-1. Joint 304 further includes a third joint 304-3 connected to a first end of link 302-2, and in some embodiments, the third joint has multiple DoFs and facilitates tilting and rotation of link 302-2 relative to the third joint 304-3. Furthermore, joint 304 includes a fourth joint 304-4 connected to a second end of link 302-2. In some embodiments, joint 304-4 includes an elbow joint connecting link 302-2 and link 302-3. In this exemplary embodiment, joint 304 further includes a pair of joints 304-5 (e.g., wrist rolling joint) and 304-6 (e.g., wrist pitch joint), which are located on the distal portion of the robotic arm 210.

[0049] In this exemplary embodiment, the proximal end of the robotic arm 210 is connected to the base 306, and the distal end of the robotic arm 210 is connected to a device manipulator or actuator, such as, for example, an advanced device manipulator (ADM) 308 (e.g., a tool actuator, instrument actuator). The ADM 308 may be configured to control the positioning and manipulation of medical devices (e.g., tools, endoscopes, etc.). For example, in some embodiments, the link 302 may be detachably coupled to a medical tool 212 carried by the ADM 308 (e.g., to facilitate easy mounting and detachment of the medical tool 212 from the robotic arm 210). The joint 304 provides multiple DoFs to the robotic arm 210, which are needed to facilitate control of the medical tool 212 via the ADM 308.

[0050] The robotic arm 210 may also include a cannulation sensor 310 for detecting the presence of a cannulation or the proximity of the cannulation to the robotic arm 210. In some embodiments, when the cannulation sensor 310 (e.g., via one or more processors of the surgical robot 200) detects the presence of a cannulation, the robotic arm 210 is positioned in a docked state (e.g., docked position). Conversely, when the cannulation sensor 310 does not detect a cannulation, the robotic arm 210 is positioned in an un-docked state (e.g., un-docked position).

[0051] In some implementation schemes, and as such Figure 5ASpecifically shown, the robotic arm 210 includes a control input or button 312 (e.g., a ring button, or other type of control, etc.) that can be used to position the robotic arm 210 in an admittance mode (e.g., by pressing button 312). Admittance mode is also referred to as admittance scheme or admittance control. In admittance mode, the surgical robot 200 measures (e.g., applied to the robotic arm 210) forces and / or torques and outputs corresponding velocities and / or positions. In some embodiments, the robotic arm 210 can be manually manipulated by a user in admittance mode (e.g., during procedure setup, or between procedures, etc.). In some cases, by using admittance mode, the user of the robotic arm 210 does not need to overcome all the inertia in the surgical robot 200 to move the robotic arm 210. For example, in admittance mode, when an operator applies a force to the arm, the surgical robot 200 can measure that force and assist the operator in moving the robotic arm 210 by driving one or more motors associated with the robotic arm 210, thereby producing the desired velocity and / or position of the robotic arm 210.

[0052] In some implementations, the robotic arm 210 includes... Figure 5A The button 312 shown (now referred to as the first button 312) is a different second input or button 314 (e.g., a press-down button) used to position the robotic arm 210 in an impedance mode (e.g., by a single press or by pressing and holding the second button 314). Impedance mode is also referred to as an impedance scheme or impedance control. In impedance mode, the surgical robot 200 measures displacement (e.g., changes in position and velocity) and outputs force and / or torque to facilitate manual movement of the robotic arm 210. In some embodiments, the robotic arm 210 can be manually manipulated by a user in impedance mode (e.g., during setup procedures). In some embodiments, in impedance mode, movement of a portion of the robotic arm 210 by the operator can cause movement of one or more joints and / or links throughout the robotic arm 210.

[0053] In some implementations, for admittance control, force sensors or load sensors measure the force the operator is applying to the robot arm 210 and move the robot arm 210 in a perceivedly light manner. Admittance control may feel lighter than impedance control because, under admittance control, the perceived inertia of the robot arm can be masked by motor braking at the joints 304 of the robot arm 210. Conversely, in some implementations, the user uses impedance control to handle most (if not all) of the mass acceleration.

[0054] In some cases, depending on the position of the robotic arm 210 relative to the user, it may be inconvenient to reach the first button 312 and / or the second button 314 to activate the manual control mode (e.g., admittance mode and / or impedance mode). Therefore, in these cases, the operator can conveniently trigger the manual control mode instead of triggering it via a button. Additionally, in some embodiments, the robotic arm 210 includes a single button (e.g., button 312 or 314) that can be used to position the robotic arm 210 in admittance mode and / or impedance mode (e.g., by using different presses, such as long press, short press, press and hold, etc.). In some embodiments, the robotic arm 210 can be positioned in impedance mode by the user pushing the arm linkage mechanism (e.g., link 302) and / or joint (e.g., joint 304) and overcoming a force threshold. In some embodiments, admittance mode and impedance mode are common because both modes allow the user to grasp the robotic arm 210 and command its movement by interacting with the robotic arm 210 directly and physically.

[0055] In some embodiments, the robotic arm 210 includes input control for activating an arm-following mode. For example, in some embodiments, the robotic arm 210 includes designated contact points located on a link 302 or joint 304 of the robotic arm 210 (e.g., the housing of link 302 or button 316). User interaction with the designated contact point (e.g., user touch) activates the arm-following mode. In some embodiments, the robotic arm 210 includes multiple contact points, wherein user interaction with any one of the contact points (e.g., one or more) activates the arm-following mode of the robotic arm 210.

[0056] During medical procedures, it may be desirable for the ADM 308 of the robotic arm 210 and / or the remote center of motion (RCM) of the medical tool 212 coupled thereto to remain in a static pose (e.g., position and / or orientation). The RCM can refer to a point in space where the insertion of a cannula or other access port of the medical tool 212 is restricted in motion. In some embodiments, the medical tool 212 includes an end effector that is inserted through a patient's incision or natural orifice while maintaining the RCM. In some embodiments, the medical tool 212 includes an end effector that is in a retracted state during the setup process of the surgical robot.

[0057] In some embodiments, the surgical robot 200 may be configured to move one or more links 302 of the robotic arm 210 within a “zero space” to avoid collisions with nearby objects (e.g., other robotic arms), while the ADM 308 of the robotic arm 210 and / or RCM remains in its respective pose. The zero space can be considered as a set of joint states that allow movement of the robotic arm 210 without causing movement of the ADM 308 and / or RCM, thereby maintaining the position and / or orientation of the medical instrument 212 (e.g., within a patient's body). In some embodiments, the robotic arm 210 may have multiple positions and / or configurations capable of being used for each pose of the ADM 308.

[0058] For a robotic arm 210 that moves medical tool 212 into a desired pose in space, in some embodiments, the robotic arm 210 is equipped with at least six degrees of freedom (DoF)—three DoFs for translation (e.g., X, Y, and Z positions) and three DoFs for rotation (e.g., yaw, pitch, and roll). In some embodiments, each joint 304 can provide a robotic arm 210 with a single DoF, and thus the robotic arm 210 can have at least six joints to achieve the degrees of freedom of movement for positioning ADM 308 in any pose in space. To further maintain ADM 308 and / or RCM of the robotic arm 210 in the desired pose, the robotic arm 210 may also be provided with at least one additional “redundant joint.” Thus, in some embodiments, the system may include a robotic arm 210 with at least seven joints 304, providing a robotic arm 210 with at least seven DoFs. In some embodiments, the robotic arm 210 may include a subset of joints 304, each joint having more than one DoF, thereby providing additional DoFs for null-space motion. According to one implementation, the robotic arm 210 may have more or fewer DoFs.

[0059] Furthermore, in some embodiments, the support rail 220 may provide several additional DoFs, including lifting, lateral translation, tilting, etc. Thus, according to the embodiments, the surgical robot may have many more robot-controlled DoFs than those in the robotic arm 210 alone, to provide zero-space movement and / or collision avoidance. In corresponding embodiments of these embodiments, the end effectors of one or more robotic arms (and any tools or instruments coupled thereto) and / or the remote center along the axis of the tool may advantageously maintain the patient's pose and / or position within the body. Additionally, it is understood that the robotic arm 210 with at least one redundant DoF has at least one more DoF than the minimum number of DoFs required to perform a given task. For example, according to some embodiments, the robotic arm 210 may have at least seven DoFs, wherein one joint of the joint 304 of the robotic arm 210 may be considered a redundant joint. One or more redundant joints may allow the robotic arm 210 to move in zero space to maintain the pose of the ADM 308 and the position of the RCM while avoiding collisions with other robotic arms or objects.

[0060] As further described above, surgical robots are subjected to various forms of vibration during operations performed using the surgical robot, including self-excitation, crosstalk, etc. It is understood that vibrations encountered by the surgical robot during operation can interfere with the user performing the operation. Specifically, vibrations induced in a surgical robot can cause the actual position of the end effector of the surgical robot to deviate undesirably from its expected or anticipated position, thereby reducing the usability of the surgical robot. To address the problem of vibrations induced in surgical robots involved in operations, this document describes an implementation of a system for monitoring vibrations induced in surgical robots. Specifically, the system disclosed herein for monitoring vibrations can determine the positional error between the actual position and the anticipated position of the end effector via markers (e.g., markers attached to the end effector of the surgical robot). As used herein, the term "positional error" refers to both the positional error of a component and / or the error in the motion of a component. For example, in some implementations, the positional error of a component refers to the difference between the actual velocity and the expected velocity of the component, or the difference between the actual acceleration and the expected acceleration of the component. It is understood that, in at least some embodiments, the determination of the position error is performed by a processor (e.g., processor 380) in response to the processor executing instructions stored on a non-transitory storage medium or memory connected to the processor. In other words, in at least some embodiments, the determination of the position error is performed by a computer or computing system including a processor and a non-transitory storage medium or memory storing instructions executable by the processor.

[0061] When based on HID (e.g., surgical robot 200) by a surgical robot (e.g., surgical robot 200) Figure 4 When the input provided by the HID (HID 480) is used to actuate the end effector (attached to the marker), the actual position of the marker can be detected. The input can be applied to the HID manually by a human operator, based on coded instructions provided to the HID, via the HID itself, and / or via a robotic arm operating the HID. Furthermore, the expected position of the marker is determined based on the kinematic model of the surgical robot and the input provided by the HID. In some embodiments, the kinematic model may include a forward kinematic model of the surgical robot. The forward kinematic model can utilize the kinematic equations of the surgical robot to determine the position of the end effector based on known parameters of the surgical robot. In other words, the forward kinematic model of the surgical robot can determine the pose of the end effector (e.g., end effector 213) of the surgical robot based on the kinematic chain of the surgical robot.

[0062] Now for reference Figure 6 A vibration monitoring system 550 for monitoring vibrations induced in a surgical robot 200 is shown. In this exemplary embodiment, the vibration monitoring system 550 includes a surgical robot 200, which includes at least a pair of robotic arms 210 coupled to or attached to a support structure 554. Figure 6 The instructions are for robot arms 210-1 and 201-2. Although Figure 6 As not shown, but understood, at least some functions of surgical robot 200 may be performed by one or more processors (e.g., processor 380) of a robot control system. In some embodiments, the robot control system is the surgical robot (e.g., surgical robot 200). In some embodiments, the robot control system is a surgical console (e.g., physician console 240) configured to control one or more robotic arms (e.g., robotic arm 210) of the surgical robot. The robotic medical system includes a memory (e.g., memory 382) storing instructions for execution by one or more processors.

[0063] As described above, the robotic arm 210 can be coupled to the medical tool 212 at its distal end. The distal end or tip 213-1 of the medical tool 212 defines an end effector of the medical tool 212, and is therefore also referred to herein as end effector 213. For example, a marker 560 can be manually attached to the end effector 213 of the medical tool 212 by a user of the vibration monitoring system 550. In this exemplary embodiment, Figure 6 Specifically, a first end effector 213-1 of a robotic arm 210-1 connected to a surgical robot 200 and a second end effector 213-2 similarly connected to a robotic arm 210-2 of the surgical robot are illustrated.

[0064] In this exemplary embodiment, the marker 560 includes one or more visual identifiers 562, which are configured to be easily and conveniently identified by an optical sensor or camera. For example, each visual identifier 562 may have a visually distinct color (e.g., a bright primary color), geometric shape, or other visually identifiable features that are not otherwise present in the vicinity of the vibration monitoring system 550, to allow the optical sensor to easily track the position of each visual identifier 562.

[0065] In this exemplary implementation, Figure 6 The vibration monitoring system 550 further includes an optical sensor or camera 570 and a computer system 580 connected to the camera 570. The camera 570 includes a lens 572 defining the field of view (FoV) 574 of the camera 570. Figure 6 As shown, the lens 572 of the camera 570 is oriented such that a marker 560 attached to the first end effector 213-1 of the robot arm 210-1 falls within or is captured within the FoV 574 of the camera 570. In this configuration, the visual identifier 562 of the marker 560 can be captured by the camera 570 in an image or image data. The image data captured by the camera 570 can be provided from the camera 570 to the computer system 580 for processing. Additionally, it is understood that the camera 570 can be supported by a support structure ( Figure 6 (not shown in the image) is supported, thus the camera 570 is relative to the global coordinate system (by...). Figure 6 (Indicated by arrow 590) Remain stationary. In some cases, the base 554 may also remain stationary relative to the global coordinate system 590, while allowing the medical instruments 212 of the robotic arms 210-1 and 210-2 to move relative to the global coordinate system 590 according to one or more DoFs.

[0066] although Figure 6 Only a single marker 560 is shown, but in other embodiments, the vibration monitoring system 550 may include two or more markers 560 or any other number of markers 560 suitable for the purposes of this disclosure. For example, in one embodiment, a first marker 560 may be coupled to the end effector 213-1 of the robot arm 210-1, while a second marker 560 may be coupled to the HID (e.g., coupled to) of the vibration monitoring system 550. Figure 4The handle 484 of the HID 480 is shown. In this way, the actual positions of both the first marker 560 coupled to the end effector 213-1 and the second marker 560 coupled to the HID can be monitored or detected, and the resulting position error can be based on these two actual positions. In at least some embodiments, the movement of the HID (e.g., the movement of the handle 484 of the HID 480) is intended to simulate or reflect the movement of the end effector controlled by the corresponding HID. In other words, the HID 480 can be manipulated along a given trajectory (e.g., manually manipulated by the operator of the HID) to induce a similar corresponding movement in the end effector controlled by the HID. Therefore, when the HID moves along the expected trajectory, the expected position of the end effector can be determined based on the actual position of the HID (e.g., captured by monitoring the second marker coupled to the HID).

[0067] The computer system 580 of the vibration monitoring system 550 typically includes a processor 582 and a non-transitory storage medium or memory device 584 connected to the processor 582. The memory device 584 is encoded with instructions executable by the processor 582. Additionally, in some embodiments, the computer system 580 is connected to or otherwise communicates with the processor (e.g., processor 380) of the surgical robot 200.

[0068] In some embodiments, the memory device 584 stores a predefined expected test trajectory of the end effector 213 of the medical tool 212 to which the marker 560 is attached. It is understood that, given the overlap between the position of the marker 560 and the position of the end effector 213 of the medical tool 212, the expected test trajectory of the end effector 213 corresponds to the expected test trajectory of the marker 560. The expected test trajectory of the end effector 213 can be predefined, such that the expected position of the end effector 213 along the expected trajectory is also known and predefined. For example, the expected position of the end effector 213 along the expected trajectory can also be stored in the memory device 584.

[0069] It is understood that the anticipated test trajectory can be automatically executed by the robotic arm 210-1 using the processor (e.g., processor 380) of the surgical robot 200, thereby activating the HID of the vibration monitoring system 550 to attempt to actuate the end effector 213 of the medical tool 212 along the anticipated test trajectory. For example, the memory device of the surgical robot 200 (e.g., memory 382) can store a kinematic model of the surgical robot 200, thereby using the kinematic model to encode the anticipated trajectory of the end effector 213 of the medical tool 212 of the corresponding robotic arm 210 into a series of control inputs to the joints 304 of the corresponding robotic arm 210, such that the end effector 213 may be expected to travel along the anticipated trajectory in the absence of vibration in the robotic arm 210 or collision with an external object. In some embodiments, the kinematic model of the surgical robot 200 includes a forward kinematic model that uses the kinematic equations of the surgical robot 200 to determine the position of the end effector (e.g., end effector 213) based on known parameters of the surgical robot 200.

[0070] In some embodiments, the HID of the surgical robot 200 may be automatically commanded by the computer system 580 to activate the robotic arm 210-1, such that a series of control inputs corresponding to the expected test trajectory are applied by the HID to joints 304 (indicated as 304-1 to 304-6) of the robotic arm 210-1. In other embodiments, the HID of the surgical robot 200 is commanded by the user of the surgical robot 200 to activate the robotic arm 210-1, such that a series of control inputs corresponding to the expected test trajectory are applied to joints 304 of the robotic arm 210-1.

[0071] In some implementations, in response to activation of the robotic arm 210-1 by the processor of the surgical robot 200 to execute a predetermined test trajectory, the end effector 213 of the robotic arm 210-1 begins to travel along an actual trajectory associated with, but not identical to, the predetermined test trajectory. As will be discussed further herein, the actual trajectory of the end effector 213 may deviate from the predetermined test trajectory due to, for example, vibrations in the surgical robot 200 (including self-excitation of the robotic arm 210-1 in response to activation and the resulting motion).

[0072] In some embodiments, as the end effector 213 of the robotic arm 210-1 travels along its actual trajectory, the actual position of the end effector 213 is monitored or tracked by the vibration monitoring system 550. For example, the camera 570 of the vibration monitoring system 550 can monitor or track the actual position of the end effector 213. In this way, the actual position of the end effector 213 along its actual trajectory is captured in image data by the camera 570. It is understood that the camera 570 can be positioned, and it is anticipated that the test trajectory can be configured such that the marker 560 remains within the FoV 574 of the camera 570 along the entire actual trajectory of the end effector 213 / marker 560. Therefore, the entire actual trajectory of the end effector 213 / marker 560 can be captured as image data by the camera 570 and supplied to the computer system 580 of the vibration monitoring system 550.

[0073] As described above, due to vibrations in the surgical robot 200, the actual trajectory of the end effector 213 coupled to the robotic arm 210-1 may deviate from the expected test trajectory of the end effector 213. In some embodiments, the vibration monitoring system 550 can monitor the vibration by comparing the actual trajectory of the end effector 213 with the expected test trajectory of the end effector 213.

[0074] In some implementations, the position data of the marker 560 is extracted by a computer system 580 (e.g., via a computer vision algorithm executed by its processor 582) from image data provided to the computer system 580 by the self-camera 570. Specifically, the computer system 580 may capture the actual position of the marker 560 in the X, Y, and Z directions from the image data received from the self-camera 570. For example, briefly refer to... Figure 7 The exemplary graph 600 illustrates the actual position of marker 560 along its actual trajectory and the expected position of marker 560 along its expected test trajectory. Specifically, graph 600 illustrates exemplary expected positions 601, 603, and 605 along the X, Y, and Z directions, respectively. Additionally, graph 600 illustrates exemplary actual positions 602, 604, and 606 along the X, Y, and Z directions, respectively. From this example graph 600, it can be noted that while the actual positions 602, 604, and 606 of marker 560 along the X, Y, and Z directions substantially coincide with the expected positions 601, 603, and 605, the actual positions 602, 604, and 606 of marker 560 vary to some extent from the expected positions 601, 603, and 605 of marker 560, at least in part, due to vibrations (such as self-excitation) in the surgical robot 200 (wherein the magnitude of the variation changes over time).

[0075] It is understood that, in order to correctly match or overlap the actual positions 602, 604, and 606 of markers 560 with the expected positions 601, 603, and 605, the computer system 580 may time-synchronize the actual positions 602, 604, and 606 with the expected positions 601, 603, and 605 (e.g., due to the inherent latency in the control of the surgical robot 200) so that the actual trajectory of markers 560 is time-aligned with the expected test trajectory of markers 560. In some embodiments, a predefined registration trajectory of markers 560 may be used to time-synchronize the actual positions 602, 604, and 606 of markers 560 to match the expected positions 601, 603, and 605 of markers 560. Alternatively, in some embodiments, the actual positions 602, 604, and 606 may be interpolated to time-match the expected positions 601, 603, and 605. Furthermore, in some implementations, the expected positions 601, 603, and 605 are scaled to match the actual positions 602, 604, and 606, taking into account the specific scaling settings of the surgical robot 200.

[0076] In some implementations, in addition to time-synchronizing the actual trajectory of the marker 560 collected from image data received from camera 570, computer system 580 may also match the coordinate system of the actual trajectory of marker 560 with the expected test trajectory of marker 560, thereby allowing the actual trajectory of marker 560 to overlap with the expected test trajectory of marker 560 in three-dimensional (3D) space. For example, and briefly referring to... Figure 8 This illustrates an example in a coordinate system (e.g., ...). Figure 6 A graph 610 shows an exemplary actual trajectory 612 and an exemplary expected test trajectory 614 of marker 560 in 3D space within a global coordinate system 590. In this example, in some embodiments, the band extending orthogonally between the actual trajectory 612 and the expected test trajectory 614 represents the position error 616 of marker 560 in the form of a continuously varying position error vector. In other embodiments, the position error of marker 560 corresponding to the difference between its actual and expected positions can be determined in ways other than comparing the actual trajectory of marker 560 with its expected test trajectory.

[0077] In some implementations, the coordinate systems of the actual trajectory and the expected test trajectory of the marker 560 are matched by performing point cloud matching on a first plurality of points or point clouds in 3D space representing the actual position of the marker 560 with a second plurality of points or point clouds representing the expected test position of the marker 560.

[0078] In some implementations, the actual trajectory and the expected test trajectory can be decomposed into segmented increments or time periods with a predefined duration, such as, in some implementations, 0.45 seconds (corresponding to twice the duration of a typical human visual reaction time). These different time periods can then be point cloud matched and then summed together to form, for example, the actual trajectory 612 and the expected test trajectory 614 of the point cloud matching for marker 560. In some implementations, a position error is determined for each given time period. For example, a first position error corresponding to the first time period can be determined by comparing the actual position and the expected position, respectively, corresponding to the first time period. Each time period can be processed independently such that the initial expected position of marker 560 in a second time period immediately following the first time period corresponds to the actual position of marker 560 at the end of the first time period, and the position error of the second time period corresponds to the difference between the final actual position and the final expected position of marker 560 at the end of the second time period.

[0079] In some implementations, after linking the coordinate systems of the actual trajectory and the expected test trajectory of the marker, the positional error obtained therefrom (e.g., positional error 616) can be compared with a predefined reference threshold or standard to determine the suitability of the surgical robot (e.g., surgical robot 200) for performing operations. Specifically, it can be determined that, in response to a positional error exceeding a reference standard, the surgical robot is unsuitable for operation due to an excessively large positional error between the actual and expected positions (e.g., the actual trajectory and the expected test trajectory) driven by unsatisfactory excessive vibrations in the surgical robot. In some implementations, surgical robots determined to have excessively large positional errors can be repaired, corrected, refurbished, etc., and then retested using a vibration monitoring system 550 to re-determine the operational suitability of the surgical robot.

[0080] As an example, and for reference Figure 9A graph 620 is shown illustrating the position error magnitude 622 (variable over time) and the position error 626 (including a single value) at least at the 90th percentile compared to a reference standard 624 (including a single value). As an exemplary embodiment, it can be understood that the position error 626 at least at the 90th percentile can be obtained from the position error magnitude 622 of the corresponding actual trajectory across a marker (e.g., marker 560). By comparing the position error 626 at least at the 90th percentile with the reference standard 624, it can be determined whether the probability that the position error of the marker is higher or lower than the reference standard 624 is at least 90%. However, while in this example at least the 90th percentile position error 626 is compared with reference standard 624 to determine the operational suitability of the corresponding surgical robot, it is understood that in other embodiments, other position errors (e.g., mean position error, median position error, 75th percentile position error, 95th percentile position error, 99.7th percentile position error) may alternatively be compared with reference standard 624 to determine the operational suitability of the surgical robot.

[0081] Refer again Figure 6 As described above, in some embodiments, the vibration monitoring system 550 can be used to determine the positional error in the marker 560 by actuating an end effector 213 coupled thereto (e.g., via a driven robotic arm 210-1) and comparing the expected position of the marker 560 (e.g., based on a kinematic model of the surgical robot 200 and input provided by the HID controlling the end effector 213) with the actual position of the marker 560. In some embodiments, the end effector 213 can be actuated along a expected test trajectory, wherein the actual trajectory of the marker 560 can be compared with the expected test trajectory. In this way, the magnitude of the resulting positional error between the actual trajectory and the expected trajectory can be at least partially caused by the self-excitation of the robotic arm 210-1 in response to being driven along the expected test trajectory.

[0082] In addition to determining the positional error caused by self-excitation in the active robotic arm 210-1 as described above, the vibration monitoring system 550 can also be used to determine the positional error in the stationary robotic arm 210-1 (or robotic arm 210-2) based on crosstalk generated by the mobile robotic arm 210-2. Specifically, as with the techniques for monitoring self-excitation described above, initially, the marker 560 may be coupled to the end effector 213-1. However, instead of actuating the end effector 213-1 (e.g., via driving the robotic arm 210-1 along a predetermined test trajectory), the robotic arm 210-1 remains stationary in a stationary state, while the end effector 213-2 coupled to the robotic arm 210-2 (excluding the marker 560 in this example) is actuated, for example, via input provided by the HID associated with the robotic arm 210-2. The end effector 213-2 can be actuated in ways other than by input provided by the HID. For example, in some embodiments, a surgical table (e.g., on which the end effector 213-1 is supported) may be actuated. Figure 2 The patient platform 202 shown is movable, thereby actuating the end effector 213-2. In other embodiments, the end effector 213-2 can be manually moved by the operator of the surgical robot 200. It is also understood that the expected test trajectory for monitoring crosstalk may be configured differently from the expected test trajectory for monitoring self-excitation. In addition, the expected test trajectory for monitoring crosstalk may not be predefined (e.g., it may be spontaneously input to the robotic arm 210-2 by the user of the vibration monitoring system 550).

[0083] In some embodiments, when the activated robotic arm 210-2 is driven along a predetermined test trajectory, the position of the marker 560 is monitored by a camera 570 and thus captured in the image data in a manner similar to the techniques described above for monitoring self-excitation. In other embodiments, sensors other than the camera (e.g., camera 570) may be used to track the position of the end effector 213, such as, for example, accelerometers, encoders, electromagnetic tracking, etc. In this exemplary embodiment, the resulting image data captured by camera 570 is received by computer system 580, and the position of the marker 560 may be extracted from the received image data by computer system 580 (e.g., via a computer vision algorithm executed by its processor 582).

[0084] For example, and refer to Figure 10A graph 630 is shown illustrating an exemplary actual trajectory 632 of marker 560 in 3D space (e.g., with reference to global coordinate system 590) as the robotic arm 210-2 is guided along the expected test trajectory. From the graph 630, it can be observed that when the robotic arm 210-2 is guided along the expected test trajectory, the actual trajectory 632 of marker 560 does not remain stationary relative to global coordinate system 590; rather, the actual trajectory 632 of marker 560 travels irregularly in 3D space.

[0085] refer to Figure 11 An example is shown from Figure 10 The graph 640 illustrates an exemplary position error magnitude 642 obtained from the actual trajectory 632. For example, the position error magnitude 642 can be obtained from the actual trajectory 632 by comparing the actual trajectory 632 of marker 560 with an expected trajectory (corresponding in this example to a fixed, stationary position of marker 560), such as by determining the magnitude of each vector obtained between multiple actual positions of marker 560 that form the actual trajectory 632 (which may form or define a point cloud) and the expected stationary position of marker 560. In addition to the position error magnitude 642, the graph 640 also illustrates at least a 90th percentile position error 644 (including a single value) and an exemplary reference threshold or standard 646 (including a single value), the at least 90th percentile position error 644 being obtained from the position error magnitude 642.

[0086] Similar to the techniques described above for monitoring self-excitation, the operational suitability of a surgical robot can be determined by comparing at least a 90th percentile position error 644 with a reference standard 646. Specifically, a surgical robot having a position error 644 exceeding the reference standard 646 at least a 90th percentile can be considered unsuitable for operation. In some embodiments, surgical robots identified as having excessive position errors can be repaired, modified, refurbished, reconfigured, recalibrated, etc., and then retested using a vibration monitoring system 550 to re-determine the operational suitability of the surgical robot. Additionally, it is understood that the vibration monitoring system 550 can be used to monitor surgical robots (e.g., Figure 6 Self-excitation and crosstalk in the surgical robot 200 shown are used as separate tests or as part of a series of tests to determine the operational suitability of the corresponding surgical robot, wherein failure of any test in a given series of tests is considered an indication that the surgical robot is not suitable for operation.

[0087] refer to Figure 12The flowchart of method 700 is executed, at least in part, by one or more processors (e.g., processor 582) of a system for monitoring vibrations in a surgical robot (e.g., vibration monitoring system 550). In some embodiments, the vibration monitoring system may be part of or incorporate features of a surgical robot (e.g., surgical robot 200). Additionally, the vibration monitoring system includes a memory (e.g., memory device 584) storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors.

[0088] Initially at step 702, method 700 includes attaching a first marker to the end effector of a surgical robot. In some embodiments, step 702 includes attaching marker 560 ( Figure 6 (As shown) The end effector 213 is attached to the medical tool 212. For example, the marker can be manually attached to the end effector by the user. Alternatively, the marker can be attached to the robotic arm at a location other than its end effector, such as a link or joint of the robotic arm.

[0089] At step 704, method 700 includes HID based on a surgical robot (e.g., Figure 4 The input provided by HID 480 (as shown) is used to actuate the end effector. In some embodiments, step 704 includes actuation (e.g., movement, transport, displacement). Figure 6 The end effector 213 of the medical tool 212 shown.

[0090] At step 706, method 700 includes detecting the actual position of the first marker coupled to the end effector. In some embodiments, step 706 includes detecting the position of the end effector 213 when it is actuated (e.g., by a device driven ... Figure 6 When the robot arm 210-1 (as shown) moves, it detects... Figure 6 The marker 560 shown indicates the actual location of the end effector 213 of the medical tool 212.

[0091] At step 708, method 700 includes determining the expected location of the first marker based on a kinematic model of the surgical robot and input provided by an HID (e.g., HID480). In some embodiments, step 708 includes determining the expected location of the first marker based on a kinematic model of the surgical robot 200 (e.g., HID480). Figure 6 The kinematic model (e.g., the forward kinematic model) and the input provided by HID are used to determine the marker 560 (as shown). Figure 6 The expected position of the first marker (as shown). At step 710, method 700 includes determining the positional error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker. In some embodiments, step 710 includes determining the actual position of marker 560 (as shown). Figure 6 The positional error between the expected position of marker 560 (as shown) and the position of marker 560.

[0092] refer to Figure 13 Another method 720 is executed, at least in part, by one or more processors (e.g., processor 582) of a system for monitoring vibrations in a surgical robot (e.g., vibration monitoring system 550). In some embodiments, the vibration monitoring system may be part of or incorporate features of a surgical robot (e.g., surgical robot 200). Additionally, the vibration monitoring system includes a memory (e.g., memory device 584) storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors.

[0093] Initially at step 722, method 720 includes a first HID (e.g., powered by a surgical robot) Figure 4 The first input provided by the HID 480 (shown) actuates the first end effector of the surgical robot. In some embodiments, step 722 includes actuating the first end effector of the surgical robot 200 based on the first input provided by the HID 480. Figure 6 The first input provided by the first HID (as shown) is used to actuate (e.g., move, transport, shift) the end effector 213-2 of the robotic arm 210-2 of the surgical robot 200.

[0094] At step 724, method 720 includes attaching a first marker to a second end effector of the surgical robot. In some embodiments, step 724 includes attaching marker 560 ( Figure 6 (As shown) is connected to end effector 213-1, which is connected to robot arm 210-1 ( Figure 6 (As shown). For example, the marker can be manually attached to the end effector by the user of the surgical robot. Alternatively, the marker can be attached to the robotic arm at a location other than its end effector, such as a link or joint of the robotic arm.

[0095] At step 726, method 720 includes detecting the actual position of the first marker coupled to the second end effector. In some embodiments, step 726 includes monitoring when the end effector 213-2 coupled to the robot arm 210-2 is actuated. Figure 6 The position of marker 560 is shown. For example, it can be achieved by actuating the robotic arm 210-2 and the base 554 ( Figure 6 At least one of the following (as shown) actuates the end effector 213-2 (such as by moving or displacing the base 554).

[0096] At step 728, method 720 includes determining the expected location of the first marker. In some embodiments, step 728 includes determining the location of the marker attached to robot arm 210-1. Figure 6The predicted location of marker 560 (as shown). In some embodiments, step 728 includes determining the location based on the surgical robot 200 (as shown). Figure 6 The kinematic model (e.g., forward kinematic model) and the first HID (e.g., by the surgical robot 200) shown) are also mentioned. Figure 4 The input provided by HID 480 (shown) is used to determine the expected location of marker 560.

[0097] At step 730, method 720 includes determining the positional error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker. In some embodiments, step 730 includes determining the position of marker 560 ( Figure 6 The positional error between the actual position of the marker 560 and the expected position of the marker 560 (as shown).

[0098] refer to Figure 14 The diagram illustrates the electronic components of an example surgical robot according to some implementation schemes.

[0099] The robotic medical system includes one or more processors 380, which, along with storage, are used to perform any of the methods described herein (e.g., regarding...). Figure 2 , Figure 4 , Figures 5A to 5C , Figure 6 The computer-readable storage medium 382 (e.g., a computer memory device, such as random access memory, read-only memory, static random access memory, and non-volatile memory, as well as other storage devices, such as hard disk drives, optical disks, magnetic tape recording, or any combination thereof) communicates with instructions for the described operations. One or more processors 380 also communicate with an input / output controller 384 (via a system bus or any suitable circuitry). The input / output controller 384 receives sensor data from one or more sensors 388-1, 388-2, etc., and relays the sensor data to one or more processors 380. The input / output controller 384 also receives instructions and / or data from one or more processors 380 and relays the instructions and / or data to one or more actuators, such as first motors 387-1 and 387-2, etc. In some embodiments, the input / output controller 384 is coupled to one or more actuator controllers 386 and provides instructions and / or data to at least a subset of the one or more actuator controllers 386, which in turn provides control signals to selected actuators. In some implementations, one or more actuator controllers 386 are integrated with an input / output controller 384, and the input / output controller 384 provides control signals directly to one or more actuators 387-1 and 387-2 (in the absence of a separate actuator controller). Although Figure 14The document illustrates the presence of an actuator controller 386 (e.g., one actuator controller for the entire medical robot system; in some embodiments, additional actuator controllers may be used (e.g., one actuator controller per actuator, etc.). In some embodiments, one or more processors 380 communicate with one or more displays 381 for displaying information as described herein.

[0100] The following examples illustrate various non-exhaustive ways in which the teachings herein can be combined or applied. It should be understood that the following examples are not intended to limit the scope of any claims that may be provided at any time in this patent application or a subsequent filing thereof. No disclaimer is intended. The following examples are provided merely for illustrative purposes. It is contemplated that the various teachings herein may be arranged and applied in a variety of other ways. It is also contemplated that some variations may omit certain features mentioned in the following examples. Therefore, none of the aspects or features mentioned below should be considered definitive unless otherwise expressly indicated by the inventor or a successor with an interest in the inventor at a later date. If any claim set forth in this patent application or a subsequent filing related to this patent application includes additional features beyond those mentioned below, such additional features should not be presumed to have been added for any reason related to patentability.

[0101] Example Combination 1: A method may include: attaching a first marker to an end effector of a surgical robot; actuating the end effector based on input provided by a human-machine interface device (HID) of the surgical robot; detecting the actual position of the first marker attached to the end effector; determining the expected position of the first marker based on a kinematic model of the surgical robot and the input provided by the HID; and determining a positional error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker.

[0102] Example combination 2: The method according to example combination 1 may further include: terminating the actuation of the end effector in response to the position error exceeding a predefined threshold.

[0103] Example combination 3: The method according to example combination 1 or example combination 2 may further include: linking a second marker to the HID.

[0104] Example combination 4: The method according to any one of examples combination 1 to 3, wherein the input from the HID is generated in response to moving the HID along a predefined trajectory.

[0105] Example combination 5: The method according to any one of examples combination 1 to 4, wherein the first marker may include an optical marker, and the detection of the actual position may include optically monitoring the position of the optical marker by an optical device when the end effector is actuated.

[0106] Example combination 6: The method according to any one of examples combination 1 to 5, wherein the end effector moves along a predefined test trajectory based on the input provided by the HID.

[0107] Example combination 7: The method according to any one of examples combination 1 to 6, wherein the expected position corresponds to the position along a predefined expected trajectory of the first marker.

[0108] Example combination 8: The method according to any one of examples combination 1 to 7 may further include: determining at least the 90th percentile of the position error of the actual trajectory of the first marker that may include the actual position.

[0109] Example combination 9: The method according to any one of examples 1 to 8 may further include: defining and The corresponding error measure, among which, This may include the average value of the position error. It may include predefined constants, and This may include the standard deviation of the position error; and determining the acceptability of the vibrations induced in the surgical robot by determining whether the error metric meets or exceeds a predefined error threshold.

[0110] Example combination 10: The method according to any one of examples combination 1 to 9 may further include: determining the acceptability of vibrations induced in the surgical robot by determining whether the position error meets or exceeds a predefined error threshold.

[0111] Example combination 11: The method according to any one of examples combination 1 to 10 may further include: inferring the position error of the end effector based on a determined position error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker.

[0112] Example combination 12: The method according to any one of examples combination 1 to 11, wherein: the actual position may include a first actual position of the first marker, the first actual position corresponding to a first time period occurring when the end effector is actuated; and the expected position may include a first expected position, the first expected position corresponding to the first time period and based on the kinematic model and the input provided by the HID during the first time period.

[0113] Example combination 13: The method according to any one of examples combination 1 to 12 may further include: determining a second expected position of the first marker, the second expected position corresponding to a second time period and based on the kinematic model and the input provided by the HID during the second time period, wherein the second time period is after the first time period; and determining a second position error between a second actual position of the first marker corresponding to the second time period and the second expected position of the first marker.

[0114] Example Combination 14: A system for monitoring vibrations induced in a surgical robot, the system comprising: an end effector having a first marker attached to the end effector; a human-machine interface device (HID) for actuating the end effector; and a processor communicatively coupled to the HID, wherein the processor is configured to: actuate the end effector based on input provided by the HID; detect the actual position of the first marker attached to the end effector; determine the expected position of the first marker based on a kinematic model of the surgical robot and the input provided by the HID; and determine a positional error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker.

[0115] Example combination 15: The system according to example combination 14, wherein the processor is configured to: determine at least the 90th percentile of the position error across the actual trajectory of the first marker that may include the actual position.

[0116] Example combination 16: The system according to example combination 14 or example combination 15, wherein the processor is configured to: define and The corresponding error measure, among which, This may include the average value of the position error. It may include predefined constants, and This may include the standard deviation of the position error; and determining the acceptability of the vibrations induced in the surgical robot by determining whether the error metric meets or exceeds a predefined error threshold.

[0117] Example combination 17: The system according to any one of examples combination 14 to 16, wherein the processor is configured to determine the acceptability of vibrations induced in the surgical robot by determining whether the position error meets or exceeds a predefined error threshold.

[0118] Example combination 18: The system according to any one of examples combinations 14 to 17, wherein the first marker may include an optical marker.

[0119] Example combination 19: The system according to any one of examples 14 to 18 may further include a second marker linked to the HID.

[0120] Example combination 20: The system according to any one of examples combinations 14 to 19, wherein: the first marker may include an optical marker; and wherein the processor is configured to: monitor the actual position of the optical marker when the end effector is actuated by an optical device communicatively coupled to the processor.

[0121] Example combination 21: A method may include: actuating a first end effector of a surgical robot based on a first input provided by a first human-machine interface device (HID) of the surgical robot; attaching a first marker to a second end effector of the surgical robot; detecting the actual position of the first marker attached to the second end effector; determining the expected position of the first marker; and determining a positional error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker.

[0122] Example combination 22: The method according to example combination 21, wherein the actuation of the first end effector may include at least one of the following: moving the surgical table to which the first end effector is attached; and repositioning the robotic arm to which the first end effector is attached.

[0123] Example combination 23: The method according to example combination 21 or example combination 22, wherein the expected position may include a single stationary position of the first marker.

[0124] Example combination 24: The method according to any one of examples 21 to 23 may further include: actuating the second end effector based on a second input provided by a second HID of the surgical robot, wherein the expected position is based on the kinematic model of the surgical robot and the second input provided by the second HID.

[0125] It should be noted that, as used herein, other variations of the term "connection" or the word "linkage" can indicate an indirect or direct connection. For example, if a first component is "connected" to a second component, the first component may be indirectly connected to the second component or directly connected to the second component via another component.

[0126] The function of determining whether an instrument is within or outside the surgical field of view provided by a camera or endoscope and rendering one or more indicators representing the position or orientation of one or more medical instruments described herein may be stored as one or more instructions on a processor-readable or computer-readable medium. The term "computer-readable medium" means any available medium accessible by a computer or processor. By way of example, and not limitation, such a medium may include random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, compact disk read-only memory (CD-ROM) or other optical disc storage devices, magnetic disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be used to store desired program code in the form of instructions or data structures and is accessible by a computer. It should be noted that a computer-readable medium may be tangible and non-transitory. As used herein, the term "code" may mean software, instructions, code, or data executable by a computing device or processor.

[0127] The methods disclosed herein include one or more steps or actions for implementing the described methods. The method steps and / or actions may be interchanged without departing from the scope of the claims. In other words, the order and / or use of specific steps and / or actions may be modified without departing from the scope of the claims unless the correct operation of the described method requires a specific order of steps or actions.

[0128] As used herein, the term "multiple" means two or more. For example, multiple components indicates two or more components. The term "determine" encompasses a variety of actions, and therefore, "determine" can include calculation, operation, processing, derivation, investigation, lookup (e.g., searching in a table, database, or another data structure), ascertainment, etc. Additionally, "determine" can include receiving (e.g., receiving information), accessing (e.g., accessing data in memory), etc. Furthermore, "determine" can include parsing, selecting, picking, building, etc.

[0129] Unless otherwise explicitly stated, the phrase “based on” does not mean “based on only”. In other words, the phrase “based on” describes both “based on only” and “based on at least”.

[0130] As used herein, the term “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance or illustration” and does not necessarily indicate any preference or superiority of the example relative to any other configuration or specific implementation.

[0131] As used herein, the term “and / or” covers any combination of the listed elements. For example, “A, B and / or C” includes the following sets of elements: A only, B only, C only, A and B without C, A and C without B, B and C without A, and combinations of all three elements A, B and C.

[0132] The various embodiments described above can be combined with any other embodiments described herein. The features and advantages described in the specification are not exhaustive, and in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to those skilled in the art, taking into account the drawings, specification, and claims. Furthermore, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been chosen primarily for readability and guidance purposes and may not have been chosen to depict or limit the subject matter of the invention.

[0133] The foregoing description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this disclosure. Various modifications to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, it should be understood that those skilled in the art will be able to employ several corresponding alternative and equivalent structural details, such as equivalent methods of fastening, mounting, connecting or engaging tool components, equivalent mechanisms for generating specific actuating motions, and equivalent mechanisms for delivering electrical energy. Therefore, this disclosure is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is given the broadest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method comprising: The end effector of the surgical robot is actuated based on input provided by the human-machine interface device (HID) of the surgical robot; Detect the actual position of the first marker connected to the end effector; The predicted location of the first marker is determined based on the kinematic model of the surgical robot and the input provided by the HID. as well as Determine the positional error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The actuation of the end effector is terminated in response to the position error exceeding a predefined threshold.

3. The method according to claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising: The second marker is attached to the HID.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, The input from the HID is generated in response to moving the HID along a predefined trajectory.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising: The first marker is coupled to the end effector, wherein the first marker includes an optical marker, and the detection of the actual position includes optically monitoring the position of the optical marker when the end effector is actuated by an optical device.

6. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein, The end effector moves along a predefined test trajectory based on the input provided by the HID.

7. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein, The expected position corresponds to the position along a predefined expected trajectory of the first marker.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising: Determine at least the 90th percentile of the positional error of the actual trajectory across the first marker including the actual position.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising: Definition and The corresponding error measure, among which, Including the average value of the position error, Including predefined constants, and Including the standard deviation of the position error; and The acceptability of vibrations induced in the surgical robot is determined by whether the error metric meets or exceeds a predefined error threshold.

10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, further comprising: The acceptability of vibrations induced in the surgical robot is determined by whether the positional error meets or exceeds a predefined error threshold.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising: The position error of the end effector is inferred based on the determined position error between the actual position and the expected position of the first marker.

12. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein: The actual position includes a first actual position of the first marker, the first actual position corresponding to a first time period occurring when the end effector is actuated; and The predicted location includes a first predicted location, which corresponds to the first time period and is based on the kinematic model and the input provided by the HID during the first time period.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising: Determine a second predicted location for the first marker, the second predicted location corresponding to a second time period and based on the kinematic model and the input provided by the HID during the second time period, wherein the second time period follows the first time period; and Determine a second positional error between the second actual position of the first marker corresponding to the second time period and the second expected position of the first marker.

14. A system for monitoring vibrations induced in a surgical robot, the system comprising: An end effector having a first marker attached to the end effector; A human-machine interface device (HID) for actuating the end effector; and A processor, communicatively connected to the HID, wherein the processor is configured to: The end effector is actuated based on the input provided by the HID; Detect the actual position of the first marker attached to the end effector; The predicted location of the first marker is determined based on the kinematic model of the surgical robot and the input provided by the HID; and Determine the positional error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein, The processor is configured to: The acceptability of the vibrations induced in the surgical robot is determined by whether the positional error meets or exceeds a predefined error threshold.

16. The system according to claim 14 or any one of claim 15, wherein: The first marker includes an optical marker; and The processor is configured as follows: An optical device communicatively connected to the processor monitors the actual position of the optical marker when the end effector is actuated.

17. A method comprising: The first end effector of the surgical robot is actuated based on a first input provided by the first human-machine interface device (HID) of the surgical robot; The first marker is attached to the second end effector of the surgical robot; Detect the actual position of the first marker connected to the second end actuator; Determine the expected location of the first marker; as well as Determine the positional error between the actual position of the first marker and the expected position of the first marker.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, The actuation of the first end effector includes at least one of the following: moving the surgical table to which the first end effector is attached; and repositioning the robotic arm to which the first end effector is attached.

19. The method according to claim 17 or any one of claim 18, wherein, The predicted location includes a single stationary position of the first marker.

20. The method according to any one of claims 17 to 19, further comprising: The second end effector is actuated based on a second input provided by a second HID of the surgical robot, wherein the predicted position is based on the kinematic model of the surgical robot and the second input provided by the second HID.

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