Bendable Medical Robot Actuator for Compact Manual Robotic Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current bendable medical instruments, especially robotized ones, require large and cumbersome stationary supports that occupy valuable space in operating rooms, necessitating a need for a more compact and lightweight solution that allows for both manual and robotic manipulation while maintaining control and precision during medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus featuring a bendable medical device with a bendable body, control wires, and an actuator for manual or robotic manipulation, including a supporting insertion unit that can be miniaturized, allowing for flexible adaptation between manual and robotic control modes, and equipped with a controller for precise control of bending sections, along with a tool channel for accommodating medical tools like biopsy tools or cameras.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If robotized instruments with multiple conduits are used to enhance distal maneuverability, then control precision is improved, but device size and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic instrument is divided into modular components: a bendable body with multiple bendable sections, control wires for each section, and a compact actuator. This segmentation allows precise control of individual sections while keeping the overall device lightweight and manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional 2D bending control to 3D spatial manipulation by incorporating multiple bendable sections that can be controlled independently in different planes, enabling complex distal maneuvers with a compact proximal structure.
2Stability of the object's composition
If large stationary support is used for robotic manipulation, then structural stability is improved, but operating room space consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The instrument incorporates a dynamic bendable body that can adapt its shape and stiffness on demand. The proximal end remains stable when needed for control, while distal sections can be dynamically bent and repositioned, eliminating the need for large stationary supports.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical rigid supports with a flexible, actively controlled bendable body. Instead of relying on external rigid structures for stability, the system uses controlled stiffness and active positioning of the bendable sections to achieve structural stability in a compact form.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple bendable sections are controlled independently, then maneuverability is improved, but control complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is designed with universal control mechanisms that can manage multiple bendable sections through a unified interface. The actuator and control wires are configured to provide multi-functional control, allowing a single control system to manipulate multiple sections independently while maintaining a relatively simple overall control architecture.
4Volume of moving object
If the actuator is integrated with the bendable body, then device compactness is improved, but ease of manual manipulation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The actuator is segmented and integrated along the bendable body rather than being a single large external component. This distributed actuation system maintains compactness while leaving the proximal end accessible for manual manipulation when robotic control is not required.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables flexible and precise manipulation of medical devices within the body, reducing procedural time and minimizing patient discomfort, while allowing for a more compact and cost-effective setup by enabling both manual and robotic control with tactile feedback, thus enhancing safety and dexterity.
Implementation Method 1
an actuator (7) connected to the at least one control wire (4) and configured to actuate the control wire (4) to manipulate the at least one bendable section (12, 13, 14)
Data Source
AI summary
An articulated medical device having a hollow core, capable of large degrees of maneuverability through small cavities to reach a target with minimal invasiveness, wherein the medical device is capable of manual and robotic manipulation.