Haptic Surgical Handle With Force Feedback for Precise Grasp and Roll
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic surgery systems lack ergonomic handles that conform to the surgeon's hand and provide haptic feedback, making it difficult for surgeons to perform precise procedures without direct contact and palpation, which can lead to tissue damage and inability to detect abnormal tissues.
Innovation Solution
A handle for tele-robotic surgery featuring a main body with a fine-tuning roll mechanism and a grasp control mechanism, including dynamometers for force feedback, allows for two degrees of freedom and provides haptic feedback to the surgeon through a processing unit that transmits data on force and couple measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If robotic surgery systems use a standard handle design, then the device complexity is reduced and ease of manufacture is improved, but the ergonomic fit to the surgeon's hand is poor and surgical precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The handle incorporates adjustable components including a movable thumb rest and rotatable control knobs that can be positioned according to individual surgeon preferences, transforming a static standardized handle into a dynamically adaptable interface that maintains both manufacturability and surgical precision
Solution Approach 2:
The handle design allows modification of geometric parameters such as grip diameter, control lever angles, and button positions to match ergonomic requirements, enabling a single manufacturable base design to accommodate varying surgical precision needs through parameter adjustment
2Device complexity
If robotic surgery systems provide direct visual control only, then the device complexity is minimized, but the surgeon's ability to detect abnormal tissues and perform palpation is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system integrates force feedback mechanisms in the handle that provide the surgeon with tactile information about tissue resistance and abnormal structures, restoring palpation capability through artificial feedback loops that convert visual data back into tactile sensations
Solution Approach 2:
The handle acts as an intermediary device that translates visual surgical field information into haptic feedback signals, mediating between the visual-only robotic control system and the surgeon's tactile perception needs without requiring direct physical contact with tissues
3Device complexity
If the surgeon operates the master robot without haptic feedback, then the device complexity is reduced, but tissue damage risk increases due to inability to perceive contact degree
Solution Approach 1:
The force feedback system provides advance warning to the surgeon about approaching tissue contact and resistance levels, allowing the surgeon to adjust control inputs before excessive force is applied, thereby cushioning against potential tissue damage through predictive tactile information
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed herein a haptic handling system for tele-robotic surgery. The haptic handling system may include a main body, a fine-tuning roll mechanism, and a grasp control mechanism. The main body may include a first hollow cylindrical section and a second hollow cylindrical section. The fine-tuning roll mechanism may include a knob, a roller coupled to the knob, and a roll encoder coupled to the roller. The grasp control mechanism may include a slider comprising an internal slider and an external slider, a lead screw coupled to the slider, and a grasp encoder coupled to the lead screw. The haptic handling system may further include a force feedback system comprising one or more dynamometers measuring a magnitude and a direction of a couple and a force applied to a surgical tool, a roll actuator coupled to the roller, and a grasp actuator coupled to the lead screw.