Onscreen Menu for Teleoperated Surgical Instrument Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
As teleoperational medical systems become more complex, adding additional physical control devices to the operator control station becomes impractical, necessitating a solution for accessing and controlling the increasing features and interaction modalities without cluttering the surgical environment.
Innovation Solution
A teleoperational medical system that includes a processing unit to display a graphical menu proximate to the image of a medical instrument in the surgical environment, allowing operators to control medical instruments with an operator control device, where the menu includes icons representing functions for the instruments, enabling easy access and control without additional physical inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional physical control devices are added to the operator control station to extend teleoperational system capabilities, then system functionality is improved, but device complexity and physical clutter increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses graphical icons displayed on a screen as virtual copies of physical control devices. Each icon represents a function or control element, allowing operators to interact with the system through a two-dimensional graphical interface rather than adding physical three-dimensional control devices. This virtual representation maintains system capability while eliminating physical clutter.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces mechanical physical control devices with a graphical user interface system. Instead of physical buttons, switches, or dials, the system uses displayed icons that respond to operator input through non-mechanical means (such as touch, voice, or other input methods), thereby extending system capabilities without adding mechanical complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional physical control devices are added to the operator control station, then system functionality is improved, but the surgical environment becomes cluttered
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions control interface elements from three-dimensional physical space to two-dimensional graphical space. By displaying icons on a screen, the system accommodates unlimited control functions within the fixed physical footprint of the display area, effectively removing the constraint of physical space and preventing environmental clutter.
3Device complexity
If graphical menus are displayed onscreen to extend system capability, then device complexity is reduced, but ease of operation may be affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal graphical interface system where icons can represent various control functions, instrument operations, and system settings. This single graphical menu system can adapt to control multiple different instruments and functions, providing ease of operation through a consistent interface paradigm rather than requiring operators to learn multiple physical control device configurations.
Data Source
AI summary
A system comprises a teleoperational assembly including an operator control system and a first teleoperational manipulator configured for operation by an operator control device of the operator control system. The first teleoperational manipulator is configured to control the operation of a first medical instrument in a surgical environment. The system also comprises a processing unit including one or more processors. The processing unit is configured to display an image of a field of view of the surgical environment and display a menu proximate to an image of the first medical instrument in the image of the field of view. The menu includes at least one icon representing a function for the first medical instrument.