Haptic Input Device False Positive Reduction in Robotic Surgery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic surgical systems face challenges in accurately controlling medical instruments due to issues with false positive haptic inputs, which can lead to unintended movements of surgical tools, compromising the precision and safety of medical procedures.
Innovation Solution
The development of an input device with a multi-link grasper and sensor system that includes a central longitudinal member with hall effect sensors and capacitive sensors to detect user presence and control the robotic arm, allowing for precise control and decoupling from the surgical tool operation, and transitioning to safe modes when user control is lost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If haptic feedback is provided to the operator during robotic surgical procedures, then the operator gains tactile awareness of tool interaction with tissue, but false positive haptic inputs may cause unintended movements compromising precision and safety
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where sensor data from the surgical tool is compared against expected haptic thresholds. When the measured haptic input exceeds the threshold, the system provides feedback to the operator indicating potential false positive input, allowing the operator to correct the issue before unintended movements occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing layer between the haptic sensor and the robotic tool control. This intermediary layer analyzes sensor signals to distinguish between intentional operator inputs and false positive haptic inputs, preventing false inputs from directly controlling tool movement while maintaining responsiveness to genuine operator commands.
2Measurement precision
If multiple sensors are used to detect user presence and control inputs, then the system can distinguish between intentional and unintentional inputs, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs multi-functional sensors that serve multiple purposes: detecting user presence, measuring haptic input forces, and monitoring tool position. By making sensors perform multiple functions, the system achieves high measurement precision without proportionally increasing device complexity, as the same hardware components are utilized for different detection tasks.
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
Enhances the precision and safety of robotic surgical procedures by reducing false positive haptic inputs and ensuring controlled operation of surgical tools, maintaining precision and safety even when unintended movements occur.
Implementation Method 1
The central longitudinal member can include a hall effect sensor
Implementation Method 2
capacitive sensors to detect user presence
Data Source
AI summary
A medical system may include an input device for controlling a medical instrument. The input device may include a grasper for receiving user input and a sensor coupled to the grasper for generating sensor information related to a user presence at the grasper. The medical system may also include a processor and memory that stores instructions for receiving secondary information associated with the grasper and determining a user presence at the grasper based on the sensor information and the secondary information. A method for operating the medical system with the input device is also disclosed herein.