Haptic Selector Control for Reliable Surgical Click Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing teleoperated surgical systems lack effective methods for controlling haptic feedback and cursor motion in response to user input, particularly in scenarios involving hand-actuated selectors, which can lead to inefficiencies and user discomfort during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A method is provided to control actuation of a click event by a hand-actuated selector mounted to a mount structure, where sensors sense displacement distance and motors impart haptic forces based on predefined thresholds, and the cursor motion is scaled according to user input device motion, ensuring precise control and feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If haptic feedback force increases as a function of increasing displacement to provide tactile indication, then user awareness of selector position is improved, but user discomfort and fatigue increase due to continuous opposing force
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic feedback system dynamically adjusts the magnitude of the opposing force based on the displacement distance of the selector. The force increases as the selector moves from neutral position toward the activated position, providing progressive tactile feedback. This dynamic adjustment allows the system to maintain reliability by keeping the selector position visible to the user through increasing force, while mitigating discomfort by not applying maximum force throughout the entire range of motion.
2Reliability
If haptic feedback force is maintained at high magnitude to ensure tactile indication, then click event detection reliability is improved, but user fatigue increases during prolonged use
Solution Approach 1:
The haptic feedback system applies opposing force in a periodic manner that correlates with the selector's movement phases. The force magnitude varies periodically throughout the displacement range, being higher when the selector approaches the click threshold and lower when returning to neutral. This periodic action pattern ensures reliable click event detection while reducing overall energy expenditure and user fatigue during prolonged surgical procedures.
3Measurement precision
If cursor movement ratio decreases as a function of increasing selector displacement rate, then cursor control precision is improved during rapid movements, but user control over cursor position is reduced during deliberate slow movements
Solution Approach 1:
The cursor control system dynamically adjusts the movement ratio between cursor displacement and user input device displacement based on the rate of selector movement. When the selector moves rapidly, the system decreases the movement ratio to prevent cursor overshooting and maintain precision. When the selector moves slowly and deliberately, the system increases the movement ratio to amplify small movements and improve ease of operation. This dynamic adaptation resolves the contradiction by optimizing the movement ratio for the current operational context.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided to control actuation of a click event by a hand-actuated selector moveably mounted to a mount structure, comprising: in a first control state, imparting a maintaining force to the hand-actuated selector; in a second control state, imparting a haptic force to the hand-actuated selector that increases as a function of increasing displacement of the hand-actuated selector from the neutral displacement position; imparting a click event signal to cause an occurrence of the click event at a display system, in a third control state, imparting a haptic force to the hand-actuated selector that decreases in magnitude to a reduced magnitude.