Compact Medical Robot Arm for Precise Multi-Tool Guidance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional medical robots are large, expensive, and limited in variability, making them unsuitable for a wide range of surgical applications and requiring significant modifications for different procedures.
Innovation Solution
A compact medical robot with a lower and upper actuator arm system, allowing for reconfigurable instrument adaptors and a guide tube mechanism, enabling precise control of medical instruments with multiple degrees of freedom and compatibility with various surgical tools.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If conventional medical robots are used, then precise control of medical instruments is achieved, but the device size becomes large and requires significant space
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is divided into separate modular components: a base unit with control systems and a separate robotic arm assembly. This segmentation allows the precision control functions to be concentrated in compact modules rather than requiring a large monolithic structure, thereby maintaining measurement precision while reducing overall space occupation.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic arm components are designed with nested structures where segments can be stored within each other when not in use. The guide tube and actuator arms feature telescopic or collapsible designs that allow the system to occupy minimal space during storage or transport while expanding to full operational dimensions when needed, thus resolving the contradiction between precision control capability and space requirements.
2Measurement precision
If conventional medical robots are used, then precise control of medical instruments is achieved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system employs universal interfaces and standardized mounting mechanisms that allow a single base unit to control multiple different surgical instruments. The guide tube assembly can accommodate various instrument types through standardized attachment points, reducing the need for multiple specialized robotic systems and thereby simplifying overall device complexity while maintaining precision control across different instrument types.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses adjustable actuator arms with variable degrees of freedom that can be configured based on specific surgical requirements. Rather than building complex dedicated systems for each procedure, the robot's mechanical parameters (arm lengths, joint positions, actuation ranges) can be modified to suit different instruments and procedures, reducing device complexity through reconfigurability.
3Measurement precision
If conventional medical robots are used, then precise control of medical instruments is achieved, but the adaptability to different surgical procedures is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system features dynamically reconfigurable instrument adaptors that can be quickly changed between different surgical procedures. The actuator arms and guide tube assembly can adjust their configuration and degrees of freedom based on the specific instrument being used, allowing the system to adapt to various surgical procedures while maintaining precision control through active compensation and real-time calibration.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs universal mounting interfaces and standardized connection points that accommodate multiple instrument types. The guide tube assembly can be configured to support different surgical tools through standardized attachment mechanisms, enabling a single robotic system to perform multiple surgical procedures with precision, thereby improving adaptability without sacrificing control accuracy.
4Measurement precision
If conventional medical robots are used, then precise control of medical instruments is achieved, but the number of components and assembly complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is manufactured as separate modular components that can be assembled in a straightforward sequence: base unit assembly, arm segment assembly, and instrument adaptor attachment. Each segment is designed with standardized connection interfaces that simplify manufacturing and assembly processes, reducing the number of custom-fit components needed while maintaining the precision required for instrument control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system integrates multiple functions into combined components where possible. For example, the actuator mechanism is integrated directly into the arm segments, and the guide tube assembly combines positioning and support functions in a single integrated structure. This merging reduces the total number of separate components and simplifies assembly while preserving the precision control capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
A compact medical robot provides guidance and actuation of a medical instrument with five or more degrees of freedom. The robot has a lower actuator arm movable within a lower plane. A lower gimbal mount is attached to the lower actuator arm. An upper actuator arm is movable within an upper plane and an upper gimbal mount is attached to the upper actuator arm. A guide tube is attached to the lower gimbal mount and to the upper gimbal mount. A linear actuator is attached to the guide tube to longitudinally move a medical instrument which extends through the guide tube. The linear actuator includes an actuating rod and a linear motor arranged within a main body portion of the linear actuator. An additional rotational actuator for rotating the medical instrument may be provided and firmly connected to the actuating rod.