Cursor-Guided Tool Switching for Robot-Assisted Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing minimally invasive medical procedures lack efficient systems and methods for seamlessly switching control assignments between medical tools, complicating the process and reducing operator confidence during robot-assisted surgeries.
Innovation Solution
A medical system that utilizes spatially co-located graphical indicators and haptic cues to guide the selection of tools, allowing control device reassignment through two-dimensional cursor movement and adaptive selection regions with haptic feedback, ensuring intuitive and precise tool control transitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional control switching methods are used in robot-assisted medical procedures, then the system maintains basic functionality, but the operator confidence decreases and the complexity of tool reassignment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time visual feedback through a cursor displayed on the graphical user interface that shows the current control assignment state. When the cursor approaches a tool icon, the system provides feedback by highlighting the target tool and indicating the available control switching option, enabling the operator to make informed decisions about control reassignment without increasing procedural complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The graphical user interface acts as an intermediary between the operator and the tool control system. Instead of directly switching controls through complex manual procedures, the operator interacts with the GUI which mediates the control assignment process by presenting clear options and confirming selections, thereby simplifying the reassignment procedure while maintaining system reliability
2Productivity
If manual control switching procedures are used, then the system maintains operational flexibility, but the time required for tool reassignment increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system prepares for control switching by pre-displaying all available tools and their associated control assignment options in the graphical user interface before switching is needed. When the operator moves the cursor near a tool icon, the system has already prepared the switching option, eliminating delays that would occur from searching for or locating switching controls during the actual reassignment moment
Solution Approach 2:
The control switching process is segmented into distinct, simple steps: moving the cursor to the target tool icon, observing the appearance of the switching option, and confirming the selection. This segmentation breaks down the complex reassignment task into manageable micro-actions that can be executed quickly and accurately, reducing overall switching time while maintaining operational flexibility
Data Source
AI summary
A medical system comprises a display system, an input system including a first control device, and a control system. The control system includes a processing unit configured to display an image of a field of view of a surgical environment, determine a first keypoint on a first tool in the surgical environment, determine a selection region associated with the first keypoint of the first tool, determine a position of a cursor relative to the field of view that corresponds to a position of the first control device, and determine if the position of the cursor overlaps the selection region. The processing unit may also be configured to provide a directional cue if the position of the cursor overlaps the selection region to direct the cursor toward the first keypoint and engage the first control device with the first tool when the cursor reaches the first keypoint.