Center of Rotation Control for Surgical Robot Alignment

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Solution Overview

Problem

In surgical procedures involving robots and operating tables with multiple degrees of freedom, there is a challenge in maintaining a patient region of interest within the robotic region of interest, especially when the robot and table are independently movable, requiring efficient alignment and positioning to ensure the robot's reach without compromising its functionality.

Innovation Solution

A control system that determines and maintains a center of rotation for the operating table, allowing it to rotate and move independently, thereby keeping the patient region of interest within the robotic region of interest, using information from robotic and patient regions of interest, and updating the registration between coordinate spaces to control the robot's movements based on the table's position.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the robot and operating table are independently movable, then the robot's functionality and flexibility are improved, but it becomes difficult to maintain the patient region of interest within the robotic region of interest

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverobot functionalityVSAvoidalignment difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system continuously monitors the position of the operating table and robot through coordinate registration, providing feedback to the control system. This enables real-time adjustments to maintain the patient region of interest within the robotic region of interest, resolving the alignment difficulty caused by independent movability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

A coordinate registration system acts as an intermediary between the operating table and robot coordinate spaces. This intermediary enables the control system to calculate and execute precise positioning commands, maintaining alignment despite independent movement capabilities of both components.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If larger robots are used to accommodate more surgical tools, then the robotic system's capability is improved, but the robots become harder to move and reposition

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical capabilityVSAvoidrobot mobility

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of moving the large, heavy robot to reposition the patient region of interest, the system inverts the approach by moving the lighter operating table. The coordinate registration system tracks this table movement and adjusts the robot's control coordinates accordingly, maintaining alignment without requiring robot relocation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the operating table rotates to reposition the patient, then positioning flexibility is improved, but the registration between coordinate spaces becomes outdated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepositioning flexibilityVSAvoidregistration accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary coordinate registration between the operating table and robot coordinate spaces before surgical procedures begin. This pre-established registration framework enables the system to calculate and compensate for coordinate transformations during table rotation, maintaining accuracy without requiring frequent re-registration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4225250B1Systems and methods for determining and maintaining a center of rotation

Publication Date: 2025.01.08 MAZOR ROBOTICS

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AI summary

Methods and systems for determining and maintaining a center of rotation are provided. A center of rotation may be determined based on first information about a robotic region of interest of a robot and second information about a patient region of interest. An operating table having multiple degrees of freedom may be caused to rotate about the center of rotation from a first position to a second position. A control system may be caused to control the robot based on the operating table being in the second position.