Medical Observation Arm Dynamics for Imaging Flexibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
The usability of electronic imaging type medical observation apparatuses is compromised due to the arm's compromised degrees of freedom when its posture changes, making it difficult to capture images within a desired range without manual adjustment.
Innovation Solution
A medical observation apparatus with an arm having at least three degrees of freedom implemented by rotation operations about specific axes, and an arm controller that automatically adjusts the arm's posture to maintain desired freedom by rotating links when a predetermined input is detected, ensuring the imaging device can be moved freely.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the arm is designed with multiple degrees of freedom to enable free movement of the imaging device, then the imaging device can be positioned more flexibly, but the degrees of freedom become compromised depending on the arm's posture
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the arm's configuration by automatically rotating links based on detected posture conditions. The arm controller monitors the arm's state and activates specific rotation operations about the third axis when predetermined conditions are met, transforming the arm from a static multi-degree-of-freedom structure into a dynamically adaptive system that maintains operational freedom across different postures
Solution Approach 2:
The arm system performs self-adjustment through automatic rotation of links when the arm controller detects predetermined posture conditions. Instead of requiring manual intervention to reposition the arm when degrees of freedom are compromised, the system autonomously rotates the appropriate links to restore full imaging range accessibility, making the system self-correcting and reducing operator burden
2Adaptability or versatility
If the user manually changes the posture of the arm to capture images in desired ranges, then the imaging device can access restricted areas, but the usability and efficiency are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary automatic adjustment by detecting when the arm's posture compromises imaging range accessibility and proactively rotating the appropriate links before the user encounters the limitation. This anticipatory action prevents the need for manual intervention and ensures continuous access to the desired imaging range without time loss
Solution Approach 2:
The arm controller continuously monitors the arm's posture and provides feedback control by automatically initiating link rotation when predetermined conditions indicating compromised degrees of freedom are detected. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures the arm maintains optimal configuration for imaging accessibility without requiring manual repositioning
3Device complexity
If the arm has fixed degrees of freedom, then the structure is simpler, but the imaging device cannot be moved to capture images within desired ranges when the arm posture is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Rather than designing a statically complex multi-degree-of-freedom arm structure, the invention maintains a simpler fixed arm configuration and introduces dynamic adaptability through automated link rotation controlled by the arm controller. This dynamic approach allows the simple fixed structure to achieve imaging range flexibility on-demand without increasing structural complexity
Data Source
AI summary
A medical observation apparatus including: an arm including a plurality of links connected to each other via a joint, the arm having at least three or more degrees of freedom implemented by a rotation operation about a rotation axis; an imaging device supported by the arm; and an arm controller that controls an operation of the arm. When a posture of the arm is in a predetermined state, and when a predetermined input for moving the arm about a rotation axis orthogonal to a second axis that is a second rotation axis from a side of the arm on which the imaging device is supported and a third axis that is a third rotation axis from the side of the arm on which the imaging device is supported is detected, the arm controller makes one of the links corresponding to the third axis rotate about the third axis.