Medical Robotic System Usage Tracking for Preventive Maintenance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Medical robotic systems lack effective methods for tracking and reporting usage events to determine when preventive maintenance is due, particularly for components that are not easily replaced during procedures, posing risks to patient safety and complicating service resource planning.
Innovation Solution
A method for storing usage-related information in non-volatile memories associated with components of medical robotic systems, determining if usage thresholds are exceeded, and displaying messages on a display screen to indicate necessary preventive maintenance, while also allowing for centralized estimation of future maintenance needs across multiple systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If visual end-of-use indication is provided on the tool itself, then local notification to assistant or surgeon is improved, but notification to surgeon at console located at a distance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
A communication system serves as an intermediary between the surgical tool and the surgeon's console. The tool's usage data is transmitted through this intermediary system to the console display, enabling remote notification without requiring direct visual contact between the tool and surgeon.
Solution Approach 2:
The notification system transitions from a two-dimensional visual indicator on the tool surface to a multi-dimensional information display on the console, incorporating usage data, thresholds, and maintenance recommendations in a comprehensive interface accessible to the surgeon.
2Ease of operation
If surgical tools are designed for easy replacement during procedure, then operational flexibility is improved, but components requiring periodic maintenance but not readily removable are problematic
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring usage data of components and providing real-time information about maintenance needs through the console. This allows the surgical system to track and manage maintenance requirements for non-removable components without interrupting the surgical procedure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-monitoring of component usage and automatically generates maintenance alerts. The surgical tool and system components track their own usage metrics and communicate maintenance needs without requiring external inspection or intervention during the procedure.
3Loss of information
If usage data is stored locally on components, then data availability for immediate reference is improved, but data loss when power is turned off occurs without non-volatile storage
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by storing usage data in non-volatile memory before power is turned off or lost. This ensures that critical usage information is preserved and can be retrieved later without requiring complex backup systems or external storage solutions.
4Reliability
If preventive maintenance is performed timely based on usage tracking, then patient safety is improved, but service resource planning becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides feedback to service planners by transmitting usage data and maintenance alerts from multiple surgical systems to a centralized service management platform. This enables automated resource allocation and scheduling, reducing the complexity of manual service planning while ensuring timely maintenance for patient safety.
Data Source
AI summary
A medical robotic system comprises a number of components that may be monitored to determine their preventive maintenance needs by recording usage-related information for the monitored components into associated non-volatile memories. When usage of the component exceeds a specified usage threshold, the system displays a warning message on its display screen to have preventive maintenance performed for the component. If the usage continues without such maintenance and exceeds a higher usage threshold, the system displays an error message on its display screen and the system transitions into an error state during which medical procedures are not allowed to be performed. The usage-related information may also be communicated to a remote computer which gathers and processes usage-related information from a number of medical robotic systems to estimate resource requirements for timely performing preventive maintenance on the medical robotic systems, and anticipated service revenues from such maintenance.