Method, computer program and apparatus for control of endoscopic scope

Abstract

To provide a method, computer program and apparatus for controlling an endoscopic scope based on a force model.SOLUTION: A method of controlling an endoscopic scope 150 is implemented with a computing device including at least one processor, and includes: modeling a force to control an endoscopic scope to provide power to the scope; identifying at least one parameter constituting a force model based on data on the shape or movement of the scope; and controlling the scope by providing the force, calculated based on the force model, to the scope.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to endoscope control technology, and specifically, to a method for controlling an endoscope scope, a computer program, and an apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] An endoscope is a general term for a medical instrument that observes organs by inserting a scope into the body without performing surgery or autopsy. An endoscope inserts a scope into the human body, irradiates light, and visualizes the light reflected from the surface of the inner wall. The types of endoscopes are classified according to the purpose and body part, and can be roughly classified into a rigid endoscope in which the endoscope tube is formed of metal and a flexible endoscope represented by a gastrointestinal endoscope.

[0003] Since a flexible endoscope device contains various devices inside, it is vulnerable to impact. The inside of the digestive tract into which the flexible endoscope is inserted is also a very soft tissue and has an irregular shape. In addition, since the shape of the inside of the digestive tract varies from patient to patient, even experienced medical staff may not find the process of inserting the endoscope easy.

[0004] Here, as the endoscope surgery is performed, the endoscope scope is inserted into the digestive tract while being twisted or bent according to the shape of the digestive tract. At the initial stage of the surgery, since the shape of the scope is relatively simple, the operator can bend or move the scope to a desired angle without applying much force. However, as the surgery progresses or when complex movements are involved during the surgery, controlling the scope while considering the characteristics of the scope that are deformed every moment may cause great operational inconvenience to the operator.

[0005] In addition, due to the characteristics of endoscope surgery in which the scope is inserted into the body, fine control of the scope is required. Therefore, a technology for controlling the scope by reflecting physical changes occurring in the endoscope device in the surgical situation is required.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0006] The present disclosure is for solving the problems of the above-described prior art, and relates to generating a force model for controlling an endoscope scope, a method for controlling an endoscope scope based on the force model, a computer program, and an apparatus.

[0007] However, the technical problems to be achieved by the present embodiment are not limited to the technical problems as described above, and other technical problems may exist.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0008] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure for realizing the problems as described above, a method for controlling an endoscope scope is disclosed. The method includes modeling a force for controlling the scope to provide power to the endoscope scope; identifying at least one intermediate variable for constructing a force model based on data about the shape or movement of the scope; and controlling the scope by providing the force calculated based on the force model to the scope.

[0009] As an alternative, the force for controlling the scope may be related to the shape or movement of the scope.

[0010] As an alternative, the at least one intermediate variable may include a first intermediate variable related to the elasticity of the shape of the scope.

[0011] As an alternative, the force for controlling the scope may include the frictional force of the scope.

[0012] As an alternative, the force for controlling the scope may include the frictional force of a motor that provides power to the scope.

[0013] As an alternative, the at least one intermediate variable can include a second intermediate variable related to the friction of the wire within the scope.

[0014] As an alternative, the at least one intermediate variable can include a third intermediate variable related to the friction between the components of the motor.

[0015] As an alternative, the step of identifying the at least one intermediate variable can identify the at least one intermediate variable such that the actual value and the estimated value of the force model are obtained and the residual between the actual value and the estimated value is minimized.

[0016] As an alternative, the at least one intermediate variable that constitutes the force model can further include a fourth intermediate variable related to the assembled state of the scope.

[0017] As an alternative, the fourth intermediate variable can be determined based on the angle and backlash of the scope.

[0018] As an alternative, the force model can be expressed as a function of the angle of the scope, the speed of the scope, the acceleration of the scope, and the speed of the motor that provides the power.

[0019] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure for realizing the above-described problems, a computer program stored in a computer-readable storage medium, wherein when the computer program is executed by one or more processors, operations for controlling an endoscope scope are executed. The operations include an operation of modeling a force for controlling the scope in order to provide power to the endoscope scope, an operation of identifying at least one intermediate variable that constitutes the force model based on data about the shape or movement of the scope, and an operation of controlling the scope by providing the force calculated based on the force model to the scope.

[0020] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure for realizing the problems described above, a computing device for controlling an endoscope scope is disclosed. The device includes a processor including at least one core, and a memory including a force model in which at least one mediation variable is identified and program code executable by the processor. The processor controls the scope by providing a force calculated based on the force model, and the force model includes a force for controlling the scope in order to provide power to the endoscope scope.

Advantages of the Invention

[0021] According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, since a force for assisting the movement of the scope is generated in consideration of the physical characteristics of the scope that is twisted or moves in a complex shape during an actual endoscopy procedure, accurate and fine control of the scope is possible.

[0022] Therefore, by controlling the scope in consideration of non-linearity on top of the characteristics of endoscopy procedures that require precise control, the error between the operation of the endoscopist and the movement of the scope is reduced, thus improving the convenience and satisfaction of the operator during the procedure and enabling higher safety from the patient's perspective.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0023]

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

Figure 4

Modes for Carrying Out the Invention

[0024] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings so that those skilled in the art (hereinafter referred to as those skilled in the art), who have ordinary knowledge in the technical field of the present disclosure, can easily implement them. The embodiments presented in the present disclosure are provided so that those skilled in the art can use or implement the content of the present disclosure. Therefore, various modifications to the embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to those skilled in the art. That is, the present disclosure can be embodied in various different forms and is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0025] Throughout the specification of the present disclosure, the same or similar reference numerals refer to the same or similar components. Also, for the purpose of clearly explaining the present disclosure, the reference numerals of the parts not related to the description of the present disclosure can be omitted from the drawings.

[0026] The term "or" used in the present disclosure is intended to mean an inclusive "or" rather than an exclusive "or". That is, in the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified or the meaning is not clear from the context, "x uses a or b" should be understood to mean one of the natural inclusive substitutions. For example, in the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified or the meaning is not clear from the context, "x uses a or b" can be interpreted as either x uses a, x uses b, or x uses both a and b.

[0027] The term "and / or" used in the present disclosure should be understood to include all possible combinations of one or more of the related concepts listed.

[0028] The terms "comprising" and / or "including" used in the present disclosure should be understood to mean that a specific feature and / or component exists. However, the terms "comprising" and / or "including" should be understood not to exclude the existence or addition of one or more other features, other components, and / or combinations thereof.

[0029] In the present disclosure, unless otherwise specified or the context clearly indicates a singular form, when the context is not clear, the singular form should generally be interpreted as including "one or more".

[0030] The term "the Nth (N is a natural number)" used in the present disclosure can be understood as an expression used to distinguish the components of the present disclosure from each other according to a predetermined criterion such as a functional perspective, a structural perspective, or for the convenience of explanation. For example, in the present disclosure, components that perform different functional roles can be distinguished as the first component or the second component. However, components that are substantially the same within the technical concept of the present disclosure but need to be distinguished for the convenience of explanation can also be distinguished as the first component or the second component.

[0031] On the other hand, the terms "module" or "unit" used in the present disclosure can be understood as terms indicating an independent functional unit that processes computing resources such as a computer-related entity, firmware, software or a part thereof, hardware or a part thereof, or a combination of software and hardware. Here, a "module" or "unit" may be a unit composed of a single element, or may be a unit represented as a combination or set of a plurality of elements. For example, as a concept of cooperation, a "module" or "unit" can indicate a hardware element or a set thereof of a computing device, an application program that performs a specific function of software, a processing procedure implemented by the execution of software, or a set of instruction words for the execution of a program. Also, as a broad concept, a "module" or "unit" may indicate the computing device itself that constitutes a system, or an application executed on the computing device. However, the above concepts are only examples, so the concepts of "module" or "unit" can be defined in various ways within the scope understandable by those skilled in the art based on the content of the present disclosure.

[0032] As used herein, the term "model" can be understood as a system that embodies mathematical concepts and language to solve a specific problem, a set of software units for solving a specific problem, or an abstract model of a processing procedure for solving a specific problem. For example, a neural network "model" can represent an entire system embodied as a neural network with problem-solving capabilities through learning. Here, the neural network can have problem-solving capabilities by optimizing parameters that connect nodes or neurons through learning. A neural network "model" can include a single neural network or a set of neural networks combined from multiple neural networks.

[0033] The above explanations of the terms are for helping to understand the present disclosure. Therefore, it should be noted that unless the above terms are explicitly described as limiting matters of the content of the present disclosure, the content of the present disclosure is not used in the sense of limiting the technical idea.

[0034] FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an endoscope device according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 1, an endoscope device 100 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be a flexible endoscope, specifically, a gastrointestinal endoscope. The endoscope device 100 can include a configuration for acquiring a medical video of the inside of the digestive tract, and, if necessary, a configuration for inserting tools and performing treatment or procedures while viewing the medical video.

[0036] The endoscope device 100 can include an output unit 110, a control unit 120, a drive unit 130, a pump unit 140, and a scope 150, and can further include a light source unit (not shown).

[0037] The output unit 110 can include a display for displaying medical images. The output unit 110 can include a display module that can output visualized information such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-driven liquid crystal display (TFTLCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display, a three-dimensional display (3D display), etc., or can embody a touch screen.

[0038] The output unit 110 can include various means for providing medical images or information about medical images. The output unit 110 can display the medical images acquired by the scope 150 or the medical images processed by the control unit 120. In addition to visual means, the output unit 110 can provide information via auditory means, and can include, for example, a speaker that audibly provides an alarm for a medical image. On the other hand, in FIG. 2, a single output unit 110 is shown, but the number of output units 110 can be plural. In this case, the output unit 110 for displaying the medical images acquired by the scope 150 and the output unit 110 for displaying the information processed by the control unit 120 can be distinguished.

[0039] The control unit 120 can control the overall operation of the endoscope device 100. For example, the control unit 120 can perform operations such as the shooting operation of medical images by the scope 150, the processing operation of the acquired medical images, the control operations for performing medical operations such as cleaning water injection and suction, and a series of calculations for controlling the movement of the scope 150. The control unit 120 can include all types of devices capable of processing data. According to an exemplary embodiment, the control unit 120 can be a data processing device built into hardware that has a physically structured circuit for performing functions represented by codes or instructions included in a program. As an example of a data processing device built into hardware, it can include processing devices such as a microprocessor, a central processing unit (CPU), a processor core, a multiprocessor, an ASIC (application-specific integrated circuit), an FPGA (field programmable gate array), etc., but the technical idea of the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

[0040] The endoscope device 100 of the present invention can include a computing device including a processor and a memory. Exemplarily, the computing device can constitute the control unit 120 of the endoscope device 100. That is, the computing device can be configured to execute the operation of the control unit 120.

[0041] The processor 110 according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be understood as a constituent unit including hardware and / or software for executing computing operations. For example, the processor can read a computer program and execute data processing for machine learning. The processor can process operation processes such as processing of input data for machine learning, feature extraction for machine learning, and error calculation based on backpropagation. The processor for executing such data processing can include a central processing unit (CPU), a general-purpose graphics processing unit (GPGPU), a tensor processing unit (TPU), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), or a field programmable gate array (FPGA), etc. Since the types of processors described above are merely examples, the types of processors can be configured in various ways within the scope understandable by those skilled in the art based on the content of the present disclosure.

[0042] A memory according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can be understood as a structural unit including hardware and / or software for storing and managing data processed by a computing device. That is, the memory can store any form of data generated or determined by the processor and any form of data received by the network unit. For example, the memory can include at least one type of storage medium such as a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory, a RAM (random access memory), an SRAM (static random access memory), a ROM (read-only memory), an EEPROM (electrically erasable programmable read-only memory), a PROM (programmable read-only memory), a magnetic memory, a magnetic disk, and an optical disk. Also, the memory can include a database system for controlling and managing data in a predetermined system. Since the types of memory described above are only examples, the types of memory can be configured in various ways within the scope understandable by those skilled in the art based on the content of the present disclosure.

[0043] The memory can structure and organize data, combinations of data, program code executable by the processor, etc., required for the processor to execute operations. Also, the memory can store program code that causes the processor to operate to generate learning data.

[0044] The computing device can further include a network unit for transmitting and receiving data to and from an external computing device, another endoscope device, a hospital server, or the like.

[0045] The data to be processed by the processor is stored in the memory or can be received via the network unit, and the data generated by the processor can be stored in the memory or transmitted externally via the network unit.

[0046] The control unit 120 can control the movement of the scope 150 via the drive unit 130 connected to the scope 150. That is, the control unit 120 can generate a control signal provided to the drive unit 130 to control the movement of the scope 150.

[0047] Exemplarily, a series of operations for the endoscope device 100 of the present disclosure to control the scope 150 can be executed as follows. The user can input the degree of curvature or the curvature direction of the scope 150 via the operation unit 151. The input information is transmitted to the control unit 120, and the control unit 120 can process the input information and generate a signal to be provided to the drive unit 130. For example, the control unit 120 can calculate the position, angle, angular velocity, etc. of the motor corresponding to the degree of curvature or the curvature direction set by the user and provide them to the drive unit 130. The drive unit 130 can generate power based on the signal of the control unit 120 and transmit it to the scope 150. Therefore, the scope 150 can move or curve corresponding to the value input by the user.

[0048] The endoscope device 100 according to the present disclosure can model the force for controlling the scope 150, calculate the force to be provided to the scope 150 using the force model generated as a result of the modeling, and provide the calculated force to the scope 150. Here, the endoscope device 100 can generate a force model in consideration of the non-linear characteristics generated in the system including the scope 150. In order to control the scope 150 based on the degree of curvature or the curvature direction input via the operation unit 151, the endoscope device 100 can compensate for the force provided to the scope 150 using the data about the shape or movement of the scope 150.

[0049] The endoscope device 100 can determine a plurality of forces that constitute a force model and identify the intermediate variables for defining each force. The plurality of forces can model the physical shape of the scope 150, the mechanical structure, the characteristics of the driving unit 130 that provides power to the scope 150, the relationships between the components that make up the driving unit 130, the errors generated during the assembly process of the scope 150, and the like. Exemplarily, the endoscope device 100 can use an optimization technique to identify the intermediate variables of the force model, but the intermediate variable identification method is not limited thereto.

[0050] The endoscope device 100 can calculate the force to be provided to the scope 150 by using the force model with identified intermediate variables and at least one of the target angle of the scope 150 for controlling the endoscope scope 150, the target speed of the scope 150, the target acceleration of the scope 150, and the target speed of the motor. Here, the calculated force can be generated by a motor connected to the scope 150.

[0051] According to the present disclosure, in consideration of the physical characteristics of the scope 150 that is twisted or moves in a complex shape during an actual endoscopic procedure, a force for assisting the movement of the scope 150 is generated, so that accurate and delicate control of the scope 150 is possible.

[0052] In addition, since the scope 150 is controlled in consideration of various non-linearities that can occur in the endoscope system, the error between the operation of the endoscope operator and the movement of the scope 150 is reduced, and thus the convenience and satisfaction of the operator during the procedure can be increased.

[0053] The driving unit 130 can provide the power required for the process in which the scope 150 is inserted into the body or moves while curving inside the body. For example, the driving unit 130 can include a motor connected to a wire inside the scope 150 and a tension adjustment unit that adjusts the tension of the wire.

[0054] The driving unit 130 can control the power of the motor to control the scope 150 in various directions. For example, a plurality of motors can be configured corresponding to the direction in which the motor attempts to bend the insertion portion 152 at the end of the scope 150. Alternatively, a plurality of motors can be configured corresponding to the wires inside the scope 150. Specifically, the driving unit 130 can include a first motor that determines the x-axis movement of the scope 150 and a second motor that determines the y-axis movement of the scope 150. By controlling the driving unit 130, the x-axis position, y-axis position, z-axis position, roll, pitch, and yaw values of the end of the scope 150 can be determined, but the configuration of the driving unit 130 is not limited to this.

[0055] The tension adjustment unit can receive power from the motor and pull the wire inside the scope 150 to generate tension. Thereby, the scope 150 can be bent. The tension adjustment unit 330 can adjust the tension acting on the plurality of wires 1000 inside the scope 150 so that the scope 150 can be bent according to the determined amount of curvature and the direction of curvature.

[0056] The pump unit 140 can include at least one of an air pump that injects air into the body through the scope 150, a suction pump that provides negative pressure or vacuum to suck air from the inside of the body through the scope 150, and a water pump that injects cleaning water into the body through the scope 150. Each pump can include a valve for controlling the flow of fluid. The pump unit 140 can be opened and closed by the control unit 120. At least one of the suction pump, the water pump, and the air pump can be opened and closed by a control signal of the computing device or the control of the control unit 120.

[0057] The scope 150 can include an insertion portion 152 that is inserted into the digestive tract and an operation portion 151 that controls the movement of the insertion portion 152 and receives input from the user to perform various operations.

[0058] The insertion part 152 is configured to bend flexibly, and one end is connected to the driving part 130, so that the driving part 130 can determine the degree or direction of bending. Since medical imaging and surgery are performed at the end of the insertion part 152, the scope 150 can include a plurality of cables and tubes extending to the end of the insertion part 152. Inside the scope 150, a light source lens 153, an objective lens 154, a working channel 155, and an air and water channel 156 can be provided. Through the working channel 155, tools for treating and disposing of lesions can be inserted during the endoscopic surgery process. Air can be injected and washing water can be supplied through the air and water channel 156. On the other hand, in FIG. 2, the air and water channel 156 is shown as the passage for supplying washing water, but it is not limited thereto. Exemplarily, a separate water jet channel (not shown) can be provided inside the scope 150, and washing water can also be supplied through the water jet channel.

[0059] On the other hand, in this specification, the expression that the scope 150 is bent by the control part 120 or the driving part 130 may mean that at least a part of the scope 150, for example, the insertion part 152, is bent.

[0060] The operation part 151 can include a plurality of input buttons that provide various functions (such as image shooting, washing water injection, etc.) for the endoscopic surgeon to control the orientation of the insertion part 152 and perform surgery through the working channel 155 and the air and water channel 156. For example, the operation part 151 can include a plurality of buttons for indicating the direction of the scope 150 or an input device in the form of a joystick.

[0061] The light source unit can include a light source that irradiates light into the body through the endoscope scope 150. The light source unit can include an illumination device that generates white light, or can include a plurality of illumination devices that generate lights with different wavelength bands. Through the light source unit, the type of light source, the intensity of light, the white balance, etc. can be set. On the other hand, the above-described setting items can also be set through the control unit 120. The light generated by the light source unit can be transmitted to the scope 150 through a path such as an optical fiber.

[0062] FIG. 2 is an exemplary diagram showing a force model according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a method for controlling an endoscope scope according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, and FIG. 4 is an exemplary diagram for estimating a force model according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0063] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3 together, the computing device can model a force for controlling the scope 150 in order to provide power to the endoscope scope 150 (S110). The computing device can be input with the target bending amount, bending direction, bending angle, etc. of the scope 150 from the user through the operation unit 151. The computing device can model a force for controlling the scope 150 based on the input values. Here, the force for controlling the scope 150 can be related to the shape or movement of the scope 150. And the force for controlling the scope 150 can be generated by the driving unit 130 connected to the wire in the scope 150. That is, the force to be modeled can be the torque generated by the motor. Exemplarily, the force model 200 can be expressed as a function of the angle of the scope 150, the speed of the scope 150, the acceleration of the scope 150, and the speed of the motor that provides power.

[0064] Referring to FIG. 2, the force model 200 modeled by the computing device may include first to fourth forces 210, 220, 230, 240. For example, the first force 210 may be a force related to the shape of the scope 150, the second force 220 may be a force related to the friction of the wire within the scope 150, and the third force 230 may be a force related to the friction between components of the driving unit 130. And the fourth force 240 may include a dynamic term for compensating for non-linearity, for example, it may include a Sliding Mode Control Dynamics term.

[0065] Specifically, each of the first to fourth forces 210, 220, 230, 240 can be modeled in the form of the following equations 1 to 4. Here, JPEG2025084128000002.jpg21143

[0066]

Equation

[0067] That is, the computing device according to the present disclosure compensates for non-linear characteristics generated in an actual endoscope and calculates a force by modeling the elastic force generated by the twisting of the scope 150 that occurs when performing an endoscopic procedure.

[0068]

Equation

[0069] The second force 220 represented by Equation 2 is related to static and dynamic friction generated within the scope 150, has a discontinuous point at 0, and can be expressed by a coulomb-viscous friction model including a linear gain at the remaining points except 0. JPEG2025084128000006.jpg20155

[0070] That is, the computing device according to the present disclosure can reflect the non-linear characteristics generated by the endoscope by modeling the frictional force of the wire in the scope 150 generated by the complex shape of the scope 150 that occurs when performing an endoscopic procedure.

[0071] The third force 230 shown in Equation 3 can be expressed by a Stribeck model that reflects the change in frictional force due to velocity. Specifically, the third force 230 can be expressed as follows.

[0072]

Equation

[0073] The third force 230 includes a third intermediate variable, and the third intermediate variable is JPEG2025084128000008.jpg979

[0074] That is, the computing device according to the present disclosure can provide more accurate power to the scope 150 by modeling the frictional force generated by the motor in order to operate the scope 150 when performing an endoscopic procedure.

[0075]

Equation

[0076] The fourth force 240 shown in Equation 4 can include a fourth intermediate variable including C and M. Here, C can be an intermediate variable reflecting the Coriolis effect generated in the scope 150, and M can be an intermediate variable reflecting inertia.

[0077] On the other hand, although not shown in FIG. 2, the force model 200 can further include a mediation variable for compensating for the force generated by the drive unit 130. Exemplarily, the force model 200 can further include a fifth mediation variable related to the assembled state of the scope 150. When the scope 150 is assembled, there are differences in the assembled state depending on the skill level of the operator. Therefore, the computing device must generate a force for controlling the scope 150 by adjusting control parameters, mediation variables, etc. in reflection of the assembly characteristics of the scope 150. Thereby, even when the assembly state changes, the endoscopic operator can feel a consistent operating feeling. Therefore, the force model 200 can further include a correction coefficient α as a mediation variable for reflecting the assembly state. The correction coefficient can be multiplied by the force calculated by the force model 200. The correction coefficient may be determined based on the angle and backlash of the scope 150. In this specification, "backlash" refers to a phenomenon in which, although the force generated from the drive unit 130 is transmitted through the wire in the scope 150, the tip of the scope 150 does not move. Specifically, the magnitude of the correction coefficient can be determined by the maximum backlash angle, but any numerical value that reflects the assembly state is sufficient and is not limited thereto.

[0078] The computing device can identify at least one mediation variable that constitutes the force model 200 based on data about the shape or movement of the scope 150 (S120). The computing device can obtain the actual value and the estimated value of the force model 200 and identify at least one mediation variable that minimizes the residual between the actual value and the estimated value.

[0079] Referring to FIG. 4, the black graph means the actually obtained value, and the gray graph means the estimated value. Exemplarily, the computing device can derive a mediation variable for which the difference between the actually obtained value and the estimated value satisfies a predetermined range by an optimal control technique.

[0080] The computing device can control the scope 150 by providing the force calculated based on the force model 200 to the scope 150 (S130). The computing device can preemptively grasp the state of the scope 150 and the motor based on the force model 200 including the identified mediation variables. Thus, the torque required by the motor can be generated. Here, the torque can serve as feedforward torque for canceling out the non-linearity of the endoscope device 100. Therefore, the error generated in the feedback control process performed by the endoscope device 100 can be minimized.

[0081] According to the present disclosure, when the scope 150 moves within the body, minute differences in movement may cause the detection of lesions to be missed or have a fatal impact on endoscopic surgery. Therefore, based on the characteristics of endoscopic surgery that require precise control, by controlling the scope 150 while considering non-linearity, not only can the accuracy and surgical convenience be improved, but higher safety can also be achieved from the patient's perspective.

[0082] The above description of the present disclosure is for illustrative purposes, and it will be understandable to those with ordinary knowledge in the technical field to which the present disclosure belongs that they can easily transform it into other specific forms without changing the technical idea and essential features of the present disclosure. Therefore, it must be understood that the embodiments described above are exemplary in all aspects and not restrictive. For example, each component described as a single type can also be implemented in a distributed manner, and similarly, the components described as distributed can also be implemented in a combined form.

[0083] The scope of the present disclosure is determined by the claims described below rather than the above detailed description, and all changes or modifications derived from the meaning, scope, and equivalent concept of the claims must be interpreted as being included within the scope of the present disclosure.

Description of Reference Numerals

[0084] 100 Endoscope device 110 Output unit 120 Control unit 130 Drive unit 140 Pump unit 150 Scope 151 Operation unit 152 Insertion unit 200 Force model 210 First force 220 Second force 230 Third force 240 Fourth force

Claims

1. 1. A method for controlling a scope of an endoscope, performed by a computing device including at least one processor, comprising: modeling forces to control a scope of an endoscope for providing power to said scope; identifying at least one parameter constituting a force model based on data about the shape or motion of the scope; controlling the scope by providing forces calculated based on the force model to the scope; A method comprising:

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the force for controlling the scope is related to a shape or movement of the scope.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one parameter includes a first parameter related to elasticity of the shape of the scope.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the force for controlling the scope comprises a frictional force of the scope.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the force for controlling the scope comprises a frictional force of a motor that provides power to the scope.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the at least one parameter includes a second parameter related to friction of a wire within the scope.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least one parameter includes a third parameter related to friction between components of the motor.

8. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying at least one parameter comprises obtaining actual and estimated values ​​of the force model and identifying the at least one parameter that minimizes a residual between the actual and estimated values.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one parameter constituting the force model further includes a fourth parameter related to an assembly state of the scope.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the fourth parameter is determined based on an angle and a backlash of the scope.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the force model is expressed as a function of the angle of the scope, the velocity of the scope, the acceleration of the scope, and the speed of a motor providing the power.

12. A computer program stored on a computer-readable storage medium, comprising: the computer program, when executed by one or more processors, performs operations for controlling a scope of an endoscope; The operation includes: modeling forces to control a scope of an endoscope for providing power to the scope; identifying at least one parameter constituting a force model based on data about the shape or motion of the scope; controlling the scope by providing a force calculated based on the force model to the scope; A computer program comprising:

13. 1. A computing device for controlling an endoscope scope, comprising: A processor including at least one core; a memory including a force model in which at least one parameter is identified and program code executable by the processor; Including, the processor controls the scope by providing forces to the scope calculated based on the force model; The force model includes forces for controlling an endoscope scope to provide power to the scope.

Images