Remote Surgery Mentor Annotation and Voice Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing remote surgery support systems do not allow mentors to annotate during surgery while interacting with surgeons, and clinical engineers on the mentor's side cannot communicate with the surgical team.

Innovation Solution

A remote surgery support system with a mentor-side operating device in a separate facility, equipped with a second display for endoscopic images, a second voice communication device for interacting with the surgeon, a touch panel display for generating annotation images, and a third voice communication device for real-time communication, allowing the mentor to annotate and the clinical engineer to communicate with the surgeon.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the mentor master control station is placed in a separate facility and connected via network, then the mentor can remotely operate the surgical system, but the clinical engineer cannot communicate with the surgeon side

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveremote operation capabilityVSAvoidcommunication barrier
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The voice communication system is segmented into multiple independent devices: a first voice communication device at the doctor-side operating device, a second voice communication device at the mentor-side operating device, and a third voice communication device near the touch panel display. This segmentation allows the clinical engineer to communicate through the third device while the mentor uses the second device for remote operation, resolving the communication barrier without compromising remote operation capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the mentor uses a headset for voice communication, then the mentor can talk with the surgeon during surgery, but the clinical engineer cannot talk with the surgeon side

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevoice communication during surgeryVSAvoidmulti-person communication capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The third voice communication device is designed with multi-functionality to serve both the clinical engineer and the surgical team. It can perform voice communication between the clinical engineer and the surgeon side, while also enabling communication between the mentor and the surgical team when needed. This universal device eliminates the limitation of single-purpose headsets while maintaining ease of operation during surgery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Ease of manufacture

If the mentor performs telestration using a touch screen, then the mentor can generate illustrations to be superimposed on anatomy image, but the mentor cannot annotate while interacting with the surgeon during surgery

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveannotation functionalityVSAvoidtime for interaction
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The touch panel display is merged with the third voice communication device in close proximity, creating an integrated annotation and communication system. The mentor can simultaneously perform telestration on the touch panel display and engage in voice communication through the third device, eliminating the time loss between annotation and interaction activities while maintaining ease of manufacture and functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP4344668A1Remote surgery support system
Publication Date: 2024.04.03 MEDICAROID CORP
  • EP4344668A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4344668A1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP4344668A1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A remote surgery support system according to one or more embodiments may include: a doctor-side operating device in a first facility to operate manipulator arms in the first facility; a mentor-side operating device in a second facility to operate the manipulator arms via an external network; and one or more controllers. The doctor-side operating device includes a first display to display an endoscopic image and a first voice communication device. The mentor-side operating device includes: a second display to display the endoscopic image; a second voice communication device for performing voice communication with the first voice communication device; a touch panel display to display the endoscopic image and receive an instruction input for generating an annotation image; and a third voice communication device provided near the touch panel display device for performing voice communication with the first voice communication device. The one or more controllers is configured to display on the first display the annotation image based on the instruction input received by the touch panel display with the annotation image superimposed with the endoscopic image.