Drive Element Assignment Control for Uniform Wear Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Computer-assisted devices experience uneven wear and loading on their modular components due to varying types of instruments and procedures, leading to performance degradation and potential failure.
Innovation Solution
Implement systems and methods to manage component assignments by monitoring wear and load distribution, using randomized or pseudorandom couplings between drive assemblies and instruments, and adjusting assignments based on historical data to evenly distribute loading and wear.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If components are assigned to instruments based on procedure requirements, then operational efficiency is improved, but wear and loading become uneven across components
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the assignment parameters dynamically by selecting from multiple possible couplings between drive assemblies and instruments. Instead of fixed assignments, the system varies coupling parameters (which drive element connects to which input element) based on historical wear data, transforming the static assignment problem into a dynamic optimization problem that balances operational efficiency with wear distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system incorporates feedback from historical data about component wear and loading. The system monitors which couplings result in higher wear and uses this feedback to adjust future assignments. This closed-loop approach ensures that operational efficiency is maintained while progressively reducing uneven wear across components through data-driven decision making.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple instruments are coupled to the same drive assembly, then device versatility is improved, but loading variance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the coupling relationships into distinct combinations of drive assemblies and instruments. By treating each possible coupling as a separate entity with its own wear characteristics, the system can independently manage and optimize each segment. This segmentation allows multiple instruments to share drive assemblies while tracking and managing the loading variance through historical data analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies local quality by assigning specific drive elements to specific input elements based on their individual wear characteristics and loading patterns. Rather than treating all couplings uniformly, the system identifies which local couplings (specific drive-element-to-input-element connections) experience higher wear and adjusts assignments accordingly, optimizing wear distribution at the granular level while maintaining overall device versatility.
3Reliability
If drive elements are frequently reassigned, then wear distribution is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system performs self-service by automatically managing the assignment optimization process without requiring manual intervention. The system autonomously analyzes historical wear data, identifies optimal couplings, and executes reassignment decisions. This automation handles the complexity internally while presenting a simple interface for users, maintaining wear distribution benefits without transferring operational complexity to the user.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces manual assignment management with an automated control system that uses computational algorithms to optimize couplings. Instead of mechanically tracking and adjusting each connection manually, the system uses software-based decision making to manage complexity. This substitution transforms the manual complexity management into an automated process that handles reassignment based on wear data and optimization criteria.
Data Source
AI summary
A device management system includes a device including a drive assembly having a plurality of drive elements including a first drive element, a control system, and a memory storing instructions. The drive assembly is configured to physically couple with an instrument when the instrument is mounted to the device. One or more processors of the control system are caused to perform operations when executing the instructions. The operations include selecting, for the first drive element, a first assignment, the first assignment pairing the first drive element with a first input element of the instrument so that the first drive element can drive the first input element, a second assignment pairing the first drive element with a second input element of the instrument so the first drive element can drive the second input element instead of the first input element; and causing the first drive element to adopt the first assignment.