Robotic Catheter Haptic Feedback Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic catheter systems lack precise and dynamic automated control, particularly in providing haptic feedback to users during diagnostic, therapeutic, mapping, and ablative procedures, which can lead to reduced user precision and increased risk due to the loss of mechanical feedback during robotic manipulation.
Innovation Solution
A haptic feedback system integrated with a robotic catheter system, including a user interface device and a control system that evaluates operational parameters such as movement speed, force, proximity, and orientation, providing virtual or augmented feedback to the user, allowing for user-selectable haptic types and modes based on specific cartridge types or parameters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a robotic catheter system is used to assist with treatment procedures, then user precision and control are improved, but mechanical feedback to the user is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements haptic feedback mechanisms that provide tactile information to the user during robotic catheter manipulation. Force feedback actuators simulate the mechanical sensations of catheter-tissue interaction, allowing users to perceive contact forces, tissue resistance, and procedural events through the robotic interface, thereby compensating for the loss of natural mechanical feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system acts as an intermediary between the user and the catheter, with haptic feedback actuators serving as mediators that translate actual catheter-tissue mechanical interactions into perceptible tactile signals for the user. This intermediary mechanism bridges the information gap created by robotic automation.
2Loss of information
If catheter based sensors are used to detect force, contact, or proximity to the endocardial wall, then information about tissue contact is provided, but user attention must be focused on the graphical user interface
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides dual feedback channels: visual information through the graphical user interface and tactile information through haptic actuators. This allows users to receive tissue contact information through multiple sensory modalities simultaneously, reducing the cognitive load and attention required to monitor the graphical interface alone.
Solution Approach 2:
The haptic feedback system provides tactile information that complements the visual display, giving users partial information through touch that reduces the need for continuous visual monitoring. This partial action through haptic channels alleviates the excessive attention requirement on the graphical interface.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a robotic catheter manipulator assembly with removably mounted cartridges is used, then adaptability and versatility are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is segmented into modular components, with the manipulator assembly separated from interchangeable cartridges. This segmentation allows different catheter and sheath cartridges to be mounted and removed from the same manipulator platform, providing versatility without requiring complete system redesign for each procedure type.
Solution Approach 2:
The manipulator assembly is designed as a universal platform capable of accommodating multiple types of catheter and sheath cartridges through standardized mounting interfaces. This multi-functionality allows a single complex manipulator to perform diverse procedures by simply changing cartridges, rather than requiring separate specialized manipulators for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
A haptic feedback system for a robotic catheter system including a robotic catheter manipulator assembly including one or more removably mounted robotic catheter device cartridges and robotic sheath device cartridges, with each cartridge being generally linearly movable relative to the robotic catheter manipulator assembly. The haptic feedback system may include a user interface device for controlling an operation associated with the catheter and/or sheath device cartridges, and a control system for evaluating a predetermined and/or a measured operational parameter of the haptic feedback system. The user interface device may provide haptic feedback to a user based on the evaluation by the control system.