Dead-Man Motion Control for Collision-Safe Medical Equipment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing automation of medical imaging apparatuses, such as C-arm X-ray devices, poses a risk of collisions between moving components and personnel or objects due to the complexity of monitoring multiple components and dynamic obstacles, which existing enabling switches fail to adequately address.
Innovation Solution
A safety apparatus with a control unit, dead man's device, operating sensor unit, and evaluation unit that verifies motion control commands based on operator input, movement detection, and component positioning to prevent collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If motor-driven movement of components is implemented to enable automated procedures, then productivity and automation extent are improved, but the risk of collision with personnel or objects increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors the operator's holding action on the enabling switch and uses this feedback to control whether motion commands can be executed. The evaluation unit assesses the operating state (holding vs. releasing) and accordingly enables or disables motion control commands, creating a closed-loop safety mechanism that maintains automated movement capability while preventing collisions through continuous operator awareness.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If traditional enabling switches are used to prevent collisions, then collision prevention is improved, but the system becomes inadequate in complex environments with dynamic obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the operational parameters of the enabling mechanism from a simple binary switch to a continuous monitoring of holding force or state. The evaluation unit assesses multiple operating states (holding, releasing, partial pressing) and responds appropriately by enabling or disabling motion commands. This parameter-based approach allows the system to adapt to complex environments while maintaining collision prevention, as the operator must continuously engage the switch rather than simply toggle it.
Data Source
AI summary
One or more example embodiments relates to a safety apparatus for enabling motion control commands for controlling a medical apparatus. The safety apparatus comprises a controller configured to control a movement of at least a component of the medical apparatus by an operator, wherein the controller includes a dead man's device configured to output dead man's information as a function of a state of the dead man's device; an operating sensor configured to output operating information as a function of an operation of the controller by the operator; and an evaluator configured to verify an enablement of a motion control command based on the dead man's information and the operating information.