Co-Manipulation Robot Arm for Stable Laparoscopic Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laparoscopic surgical systems face challenges in managing vision and access, with complex robot-assisted systems being expensive, space-consuming, and requiring unique instruments, while manual solutions are impractical and require extensive manual interaction.
Innovation Solution
A co-manipulation surgical system with a robot arm that can seamlessly position and manipulate surgical instruments, featuring a controller that switches between passive, co-manipulation, and haptic modes, and includes a base that allows for rotational movement and impedance control, along with optical scanning for instrument identification and collision avoidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If complex robot-assisted systems are used to enhance laparoscopic surgical procedures, then surgical precision and control are improved, but system cost and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate functional modules: a robot arm for positioning, a controller for coordination, and impedance control mechanisms. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall surgical precision without requiring a monolithic complex system
Solution Approach 2:
The robot arm incorporates dynamic impedance control that adjusts mechanical impedance in real-time based on surgical needs. This allows the system to transition between compliant and rigid states, providing surgical precision when needed while maintaining ease of manipulation otherwise, thereby reducing the need for permanently complex system configurations
2Stability of the object's composition
If rail-mounted orthopedic retractors are used to hold surgical instruments in position, then instrument positioning stability is improved, but manual interaction requirements and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm with impedance control serves itself by automatically adjusting instrument positions and maintaining stability without requiring manual unlocking or repositioning. The system self-regulates its mechanical impedance to maintain stable positioning while allowing easy repositioning through controlled impedance adjustment, eliminating the time-consuming manual operations required by rail-mounted systems
3Adaptability or versatility
If unique system-specific surgical instruments are used with robot-assisted systems, then compatibility and control are improved, but adaptability and ease of operation with standard instruments decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The robot arm is designed with a universal coupling mechanism that can accommodate both standard off-the-shelf surgical instruments and specialized instruments. The impedance control system adapts its parameters based on the attached instrument type, providing consistent ease of operation across different instrument configurations without requiring surgeons to learn system-specific techniques
4Ease of operation
If assistants manually hold retractor and laparoscope devices, then vision and access management are improved, but operational impracticality and assistant coordination complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the functions of multiple assistants into a single automated robot arm that can simultaneously manage retraction, visualization, and instrument positioning. The unified control system coordinates these functions through integrated impedance control, eliminating the complexity of coordinating multiple human assistants while maintaining ease of vision and access management
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2
Figure 3A
AI summary
Co-manipulation robotic systems are described herein that may be used for assisting with laparoscopic surgical procedures. The co-manipulation robotic systems allow a surgeon to use commercially-available surgical tools while providing benefits associated with surgical robotics. Advantageously, the surgical tools may be seamlessly coupled to the robot arms using a disposable coupler while the reusable portions of the robot arm remain in a sterile drape. Further, the co-manipulation robotic system may operate in multiple modes to enhance usability and safety, while allowing the surgeon to position the instrument directly with the instrument handle and further maintain the desired position of the instrument using the robot arm.