Handheld Robotic Surgical Instrument for Precise Tool Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing navigation systems for surgical tools require users to look away from the surgical site, making it difficult to align and secure jigs and trajectory guides, and large robotic arms are cumbersome in operating rooms.
Innovation Solution
A hand-held robotic instrument with a housing, tool support, and actuators that allow for multiple degrees of freedom of motion, enabling precise tool alignment and operation without the need for large robotic arms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If large robotic arms with six degrees of freedom are used, then tool positioning precision is improved, but device complexity and ease of operation deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is segmented into a stationary base unit and a handheld instrument with its own integrated actuators. The base provides support and power, while the handheld portion contains the tool support and actuator mechanisms, dividing the complex six-DOF functionality into manageable segments that can be operated independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from large external robotic arms operating in three-dimensional space to a handheld instrument that achieves six degrees of freedom through localized actuation at the tool support. This dimensional reconfiguration places the complexity within the handheld device rather than requiring large external structures.
2Measurement precision
If navigation display is used to show tool position, then tool alignment accuracy is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to user distraction
Solution Approach 1:
The handheld robotic instrument incorporates autonomous navigation capabilities with onboard sensors and processors that automatically track the tool's position and orientation relative to the surgical site. The system self-corrects its positioning without requiring the user to constantly monitor external displays, allowing the user to maintain focus on the surgical site while the instrument autonomously maintains accurate alignment.
3Ease of operation
If handheld design is used, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates compared to large robotic systems
Solution Approach 1:
The handheld instrument integrates multiple functions including six-degree-of-freedom positioning, navigation, tracking, and tool support within a single compact device. This multi-functionality allows the handheld instrument to achieve precision comparable to large robotic systems while maintaining the maneuverability and ease of operation of handheld tools.
Data Source
AI summary
The present teachings provide for a hand-held robotic instrument for use with a surgical tool. In one configuration, the instrument comprises a housing configured to be held by a user, the housing defining a remote axis of motion. Control systems for controlling the hand-held robotic instrument are also contemplated, which are capable of switching control modes based on fixation, boundaries, and/or frames.