Robotic Medical Arm Collision Prevention With Null Space Motion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic arm collisions during medical procedures pose a challenge in robotic medical systems, as existing technologies lack effective methods to prevent collisions between multiple robotic arms or arms and other objects in close proximity, leading to potential workflow interruptions and equipment damage.
Innovation Solution
A robotic medical system is designed with a model of its links and arms, using a processor and computer-readable memory to determine distances between links and prevent collisions by controlling movement based on input commands, employing cutoff and trigger distances to avoid collisions through null space motion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple robotic arms are positioned in close proximity to perform medical procedures, then surgical access and versatility are improved, but the risk of collision between robotic arms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary collision detection by calculating predicted future positions of robotic arm links based on current motion commands and kinematic models. Before actual collision occurs, the control system identifies potential collisions and adjusts motion commands to prevent them, allowing robotic arms to operate in close proximity while maintaining safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors the actual positions of robotic arm links, compares them against predicted positions, and uses this feedback to update collision detection calculations. This closed-loop feedback mechanism enables real-time adjustment of motion commands to avoid collisions while maintaining surgical versatility
2Reliability
If collision detection and prevention systems are implemented, then equipment reliability is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates virtual copies (digital twins) of robotic arm links and their motion trajectories in a simulated environment. Collision detection is performed on these virtual models rather than requiring complex physical sensors on each link, reducing hardware complexity while maintaining detection accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The collision detection system leverages existing kinematic models and motion planning algorithms already present in the robotic control system. By reusing these existing computational resources for collision detection purposes, the system avoids adding separate dedicated hardware systems, thereby limiting the increase in overall system complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for collision detection and avoidance are provided. In one aspect, a robotic medical system including a first set of links, a second set of links, a console configured to receive input commanding motion of the first set of links and the second set of links, a processor, and at least one computer-readable memory in communication with the processor. The processor is configured to access the model of the first set of links and the second set of links, control movement of the first set of links and the second set of links based on the input received by the console, determine a distance between the first set of links and the second set of links based on the model, and prevent a collision between the first set of links and the second set of links based on the determined distance.