Removable Camera Assembly for Steerable Robotic Surgery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing minimally invasive surgical technologies, such as laparoscopy and robotic systems like the da Vinci Surgical System, are limited by mobility restrictions, visual feedback, and high cost, making them unsuitable for complex surgical procedures.

Innovation Solution

Development of a robotic surgical system with a robotic device featuring a removable camera component, coupling mechanisms, presence detection mechanisms, and steerable distal tips, allowing for improved mobility and visual feedback, and reducing system size and cost.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If robotic systems like da Vinci Surgical System are used, then surgical precision and automation are improved, but system size, cost, and complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesurgical automationVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic system is divided into separate modular components: a reusable robotic device body with robotic arms, and interchangeable disposable camera assemblies. This segmentation allows the complex robotic mechanism to be separated from the disposable imaging component, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining automation capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The camera assembly is designed as a disposable component that is discarded after a single use or limited number of uses. This eliminates the need for expensive, complex, and difficult-to-sterilize reusable camera systems, thereby reducing system cost and complexity while maintaining surgical automation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

2Device complexity

If traditional laparoscopy is used, then system cost and complexity are reduced, but mobility and visual feedback capabilities are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem complexityVSAvoidmobility capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The camera assembly incorporates a steerable distal tip with articulation mechanisms that allow dynamic repositioning of the camera view during surgical procedures. This provides enhanced mobility and visual feedback capabilities similar to robotic systems, while maintaining a simpler overall device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The disposable camera assembly replaces complex reusable robotic positioning mechanisms with a simpler design that achieves similar mobility through articulated sections and steerable tips, reducing mechanical complexity while improving ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Device complexity

If reusable camera systems are used, then cost is reduced, but sterilization difficulty and contamination risk increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem costVSAvoidsterilization reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The camera assembly is designed as a single-use disposable component that is discarded after one procedure. This eliminates sterilization requirements entirely, ensuring reliability by preventing contamination risk while keeping costs low through standardized manufacturing of disposable units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The camera assembly is extracted as a separate disposable component from the reusable robotic device body. This separation allows the camera to be discarded after use, eliminating the need for sterilization of the entire robotic system and ensuring reliability without increasing cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Device complexity

If rigid tools inserted through access ports are used, then device structure is simplified, but mobility and surgical scope are restricted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice structureVSAvoidsurgical scope

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The camera assembly includes flexible articulation sections and steerable distal tips that enable dynamic positioning and repositioning during surgery. This increases adaptability and surgical scope by allowing the camera to navigate complex anatomical paths while maintaining a relatively simple device structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The camera assembly incorporates flexible articulation sections that allow bending and steering of the distal tip. This flexibility enables the camera to adapt to various surgical scopes and anatomical structures without requiring complex rigid mechanisms, thereby expanding surgical versatility while keeping device structure simple.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

Data Source

PatentUS12539182B2Robotically assisted surgical system and related devices and methods

Publication Date: 2026.02.03 VIRTUAL INCISION CORP

AI summary

Disclosed herein are various robotic surgical systems having various robotic devices. Further, disclosed herein are removable coupleable connection ports, each of which can be coupled to a robotic device and a camera assembly that is disposed into and through the robotic device. Also disclosed herein are removable connection ports having at least one of a elongate device body coupling mechanism, a camera assembly coupling mechanism, and/or a presence detection mechanism. Further discussed herein is a camera assembly with at least one actuation mechanism for actuating movement of the steerable distal tip thereof.