Haptic Pedicle Screw Interface for Robotic Trajectory Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic surgical systems underutilize the robotic manipulator during pedicle screw insertion, leading to a loss of haptic and sensory information for surgeons, resulting in reduced confidence, emotional stress, and poor procedural efficacy due to the lack of direct interaction with tissue.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgical system incorporating a robotic manipulator, a surgical tool with a haptic device, and a navigation system, where controllers control the manipulator to maintain a planned trajectory, autonomously rotate and advance the screw, and provide haptic feedback based on interaction measurements, allowing surgeons to maintain control through a manually manipulatable interface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the robotic manipulator autonomously controls the surgical tool to rotate and advance the screw, then the precision and consistency of screw insertion is improved, but the surgeon loses direct haptic feedback and sensory information from tissue interaction
Solution Approach 1:
A haptic device acts as an intermediary between the surgeon and the robotic manipulator. The haptic device includes an actuator that applies resistive forces to a manually manipulatable interface, simulating the tactile sensations of screw-tissue interaction. This allows the surgeon to maintain direct sensory connection while the robotic system performs the precise autonomous insertion operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a closed-loop feedback mechanism where sensors detect the actual screw insertion parameters (position, orientation, depth) and the haptic device provides real-time force feedback to the surgeon's interface. This feedback loop enables the surgeon to sense tissue interaction forces and adjust the procedure accordingly, while the robotic system maintains autonomous control for precision.
2Reliability
If the robotic manipulator maintains strict adherence to the planned trajectory, then the safety and accuracy of screw placement is improved, but the surgeon's ability to respond to unforeseen circumstances is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The control system transitions from static rigid trajectory following to dynamic adaptive control. The robotic manipulator is configured to maintain the rotational axis along the planned trajectory while allowing controlled deviations when haptic feedback indicates unforeseen conditions. The system dynamically adjusts between autonomous trajectory adherence and surgeon-controlled adaptability based on real-time surgical conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The haptic device serves as a mediator that translates subtle tissue interaction forces into actionable information for the surgeon. When the surgeon manipulates the haptic interface, the system can interpret these inputs as intentional deviations from the planned trajectory, allowing the robotic manipulator to adapt its path while maintaining overall procedural control and safety constraints.
3Productivity
If the robotic system performs all surgical tasks autonomously, then the consistency and repeatability of the procedure is improved, but the surgeon loses confidence and emotional stability due to lack of direct control
Solution Approach 1:
The surgical procedure is segmented into distinct phases: autonomous phases where the robotic manipulator performs precise trajectory following and screw insertion, and manual phases where the surgeon directly controls the haptic interface for decision-making and adaptability. This segmentation allows the surgeon to maintain confidence through active participation while benefiting from robotic precision in critical phases.
Solution Approach 2:
The haptic device acts as a continuous intermediary connection between the surgeon and the robotic system, providing tactile feedback that maintains the surgeon's sense of control and presence. This physical interface allows the surgeon to feel the surgical process through simulated tissue resistance, preserving confidence and emotional stability while the robotic system handles the mechanically precise aspects of the procedure.
Data Source
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AI summary
A robotic surgical system (10) comprises a robotic manipulator, a surgical tool (30) coupled to the robotic manipulator and configured to interface with a screw (PS) and to rotate the screw (PS) about a rotational axis (R), a haptic device (51) comprising an actuator (55) and a rotational interface (53) coupled to the actuator (55), wherein the rotational interface (53) is configured to be manually manipulatable by a hand of an operator, a navigation system (12) configured to track a position of a target site, and one or more controllers (33) coupled to the robotic manipulator, the haptic device (51) and the navigation system (12). The one or more controllers (33) are configured to control movement of the robotic manipulator to maintain the rotational axis (R) of the surgical tool (30) along a planned trajectory (LH) with respect to the target site based on the tracked position of the target site, receive a control input from the haptic device (51) in a manual control mode wherein the rotational interface (53) is manually manipulatable with an ability to control one of a rotational rate of the screw (PS) or an advancement rate of the screw (PS) based on the operator manually manipulating the rotational interface (53), in response to the control input from the haptic device (51), control the surgical tool (30) to rotate the screw (PS) at the rotational rate about the rotational axis (R) and to linearly advance the screw (PS) at the advancement rate along the planned trajectory (LH), wherein the rotational rate and the advancement rate are predetermined and proportional to a known thread geometry of the screw (PS), obtain a measurement indicative of a present interaction between the screw (PS) and the target site, and, based on the obtained measurement, control the haptic device (51) to enable the rotational interface (53) to emulate the present interaction between the screw (PS) and the target site by providing a resistive force (FA) to the actuator (55) to adjust a force (FRI) required to rotate the rotational interface (53) by the hand of the operator such that the adjusted force (FRI) reflects a present force (FPS) required to rotate the screw (PS) relative to the target site.