Remote Surgery Mentor Interface with Communication State Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing remote surgery systems face challenges in allowing mentors to provide effective guidance remotely due to communication delays between the mentor's operating device and the surgical robot, making it difficult for mentors to smoothly operate the robot from a distant location.
Innovation Solution
A remote surgery support system is designed with a mentor-side operating device located in a different facility, connected via an external network, which includes a graphical user interface displaying the communication state superimposed on the endoscopic image, allowing mentors to grasp and adjust for operation delays.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the mentor-side operating device is connected via an external network to allow remote operation, then the mentor can provide surgical guidance from a different facility, but the operation is affected by communication delays
Solution Approach 1:
The system displays communication state information (such as delay status) on the mentor-side operating device interface, providing real-time feedback to the mentor about the quality of the remote connection. This allows the mentor to adjust operations based on the displayed communication state, maintaining reliability despite remote connectivity.
2Ease of operation
If the mentor and surgeon are located at the same facility, then communication is direct and smooth, but the mentor cannot provide remote guidance from a different location
Solution Approach 1:
The external network acts as an intermediary medium that enables communication between the mentor-side operating device and the surgical robot located at different facilities. The network transmits control signals and visual feedback, bridging the physical distance while maintaining the operational connection.
3Loss of information
If communication state information is displayed on the mentor-side operating device, then the mentor can grasp the communication state, but the interface complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses color-coded indicators to represent different communication states (e.g., green for good connection, yellow for moderate delay, red for poor connection). This visual encoding allows the mentor to quickly assess communication quality without complex data displays, maintaining interface simplicity while providing essential information.
Data Source
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AI summary
An embodiment of a remote surgery support system includes a surgical system placed in a first facility and a mentor-side operating device placed in a second facility different from the first facility, the surgical system including first and second manipulator arms holding first and second surgical instruments, a third manipulator arm holding an endoscope, and a doctor-side operating device that includes a first display to display an endoscopic image acquired by the endoscope. The mentor-side operating device is configured to operate, via an external network from the second facility, the first to third manipulator arms of the surgical system in the first facility. The mentor-side operating device includes a second display configured to display the endoscopic image transmitted through the external network with the endoscopic image being superimposed with a graphical user interface including information about a state of communication between the mentor-side operating device and the surgical system.