Patient-Side Surgical Instrument Control With Manual Override
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing teleoperated surgical systems lack a means for a medical person at the patient side to manually control a surgical instrument during emergencies, particularly when the instrument is securely grasping tissue, to avoid causing damage by releasing the grasp before removal.
Innovation Solution
A control algorithm that enables a medical person at the patient side to manually control a teleoperated surgical instrument by detecting excessive external forces on specific actuators and overriding the current position, allowing manual actuation of the instrument's mechanical degrees of freedom.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the surgical instrument is securely grasping tissue with teleoperated actuators maintaining position, then the instrument provides stable holding and control, but the medical person at the patient side cannot manually release the grasp during emergencies
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between two operational modes: normal teleoperated control mode where actuators maintain position, and emergency manual override mode where actuators allow free movement. The control algorithm detects emergency conditions and transitions the system from a static control state to a dynamic manual override state, enabling the medical person at the patient side to manually release the grasp when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The control algorithm acts as an intermediary between the teleoperated actuators and the mechanical degree of freedom. It monitors forces on the actuators and, when emergency conditions are detected, terminates position-maintaining commands to allow manual actuation. This intermediary layer enables both stable holding during normal operation and manual release during emergencies without direct conflict.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the teleoperated actuator maintains its current position to hold tissue, then the tissue remains securely grasped, but the instrument cannot be manually actuated from the patient side
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions between static position-maintaining behavior and dynamic manual actuation behavior based on detected emergency conditions. The control algorithm monitors forces on teleoperated actuators and switches the system state from position stability mode to manual actuation mode, allowing the medical person at the patient side to manually move the instrument when emergencies occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The control algorithm changes the operational parameters of the teleoperated actuator from position-maintaining mode to force-tolerance mode. By terminating the command to maintain current position when excessive force is detected on one actuator while another remains stable, the system allows manual actuation of the mechanical degree of freedom while maintaining overall system control.
3Productivity
If the surgical instrument is removed from the surgical field while securely grasping tissue, then the instrument can be repositioned, but tissue damage may occur without manual release capability
Solution Approach 1:
The control algorithm enables preliminary manual release action by the medical person at the patient side before instrument removal. When emergency conditions are detected, the system allows manual actuation that can release the tissue grasp before the instrument is pulled from the surgical field, preventing tissue damage during repositioning operations.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for instrument control include a manipulator and a controller. The controller is configured to detect installation of an instrument onto the manipulator; identify an instrument input mechanically coupled to a mechanical degree of freedom (DOF) of the instrument; in response to activation of a control input by a user, determine whether a teleoperated actuator mechanically coupled to the instrument input is being operated according to a soft lock state behavior where the teleoperated actuator is maintaining the mechanical DOF at a first position, the control input providing an indication of a request by the user to manually actuate the teleoperated actuator and discontinue the soft lock state behavior; and in response to a determination that the teleoperated actuator is not being operated according to the soft lock state behavior, notify the user that manual actuation of the mechanical DOF using the soft lock state behavior is not permitted.