Haptic Robotic Hand Controller for Force Feedback in MIS
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robotic systems for minimal invasive surgery lack a haptic interface in the hand controller, resulting in the absence of force feedback, which complicates surgical precision, increases surgery time, and causes fatigue due to excessive reliance on visual feedback.
Innovation Solution
A robotic hand controller with a haptic interface that provides force feedback through motors and vibrations, enabling control in multiple degrees of freedom, mimicking natural wrist and hand motions to enhance surgical precision and reduce fatigue.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a haptic interface with force feedback is integrated into the robotic hand controller, then surgical precision and realism are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a haptic interface that provides force feedback to the surgeon through the hand controller. Sensors detect forces applied by the surgeon on the hand controller, and this information is fed back through motors that generate corresponding force feedback. This closed-loop feedback system enables the surgeon to feel resistance and tactile cues during surgery, improving surgical precision while managing device complexity through systematic integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The hand controller is designed to serve multiple functions: it acts as both a control interface for commanding robotic arm movements and as a haptic feedback device that provides force feedback. The same hardware components (motors, sensors, processors) are utilized for both control commands and force feedback generation, reducing overall system complexity while achieving improved surgical precision.
2Measurement precision
If force feedback is provided in multiple degrees of freedom, then surgical accuracy is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent provides force feedback in specific degrees of freedom that are most critical for surgical accuracy, rather than uniformly in all possible directions. The hand controller implements force feedback mechanisms targeted at the three translational degrees of freedom (X, Y, Z axes) which correspond to the primary movement directions needed for surgical precision, while managing complexity by focusing on locally optimized feedback rather than comprehensive omnidirectional feedback.
3Productivity
If the surgeon relies solely on visual feedback, then the system remains simple, but surgery time increases and fatigue sets in
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges visual feedback (through the robotic console displays) with haptic feedback (through force feedback in the hand controller) to create a multi-sensory interface. This combination allows the surgeon to simultaneously see surgical visuals and feel tactile cues, reducing reliance on purely visual information and thereby reducing surgery time and fatigue while compensating for the loss of natural tactile feedback in minimal invasive surgery.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The integration of force feedback mechanisms in the robotic hand controller improves surgical accuracy, reduces fatigue, and creates a more realistic virtual environment, enhancing the efficiency and safety of minimal invasive surgery.
Implementation Method 1
The haptic interface provides force feedback to the surgeon through a sense of touch
Implementation Method 2
The haptic interface includes a vibration motor
Data Source
AI summary
A hand controller for enabling a user to perform an activity and method for controlling a robotic arm is provided. The hand controller includes a bar with a grip and a plurality of motors to provide a force feedback to the user in response to the movement of the plurality of mechanical arms. The method involves receiving input corresponding to the manipulation of a bar and providing a force feedback in response to the movement of the plurality of mechanical arms.