Robot Face Mounted to Boom for Remote Surgical Consultation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic tele-presence systems for surgical procedures, such as the Da Vinci system, are expensive and large, making them inaccessible to many medical facilities, and there is a need for a more affordable and easily installable solution for remote medical consultation.
Innovation Solution
A robotic system comprising a remote station and a robot face with a camera, monitor, speakers, and microphones, which can be coupled via a network, allowing for remote medical consultation, and can be attached to a boom or medical table, enabling remote viewing and communication during surgical procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a robotic tele-presence system like Da Vinci is used for remote surgical procedures, then remote surgical capability is achieved, but the system becomes expensive and large, making it inaccessible to many medical facilities
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the robotic tele-presence functionality into separate modular components: a robot face unit with camera and display, a boom mechanism for positioning, and a remote control station. This segmentation allows each component to be independently optimized and installed separately, reducing overall system complexity and cost while maintaining remote surgical capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The robot face unit is designed to be universally applicable in various medical settings by incorporating essential functions (camera, display, audio) into a single compact unit that can be mounted on existing booms or tables. This multi-functional design eliminates the need for expensive dedicated robotic surgical systems while achieving the same remote consultation goal.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a specialized robotic system is deployed for remote consultation, then expert guidance is available remotely, but the installation cost and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The robot face unit serves as an intermediary device that bridges the remote expert and the surgical site. It incorporates essential communication functions (camera, display, audio) in a compact form that can be integrated into existing operating room infrastructure, avoiding the need for expensive dedicated robotic systems while maintaining consultation capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of deploying an entire complex robotic surgical system, the invention creates a simplified copy of the essential tele-presence functionality using off-the-shelf components (camera, display, audio equipment) mounted on a boom. This copying approach achieves the same remote consultation effect at a fraction of the cost and complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A robot system that includes a remote station and a robot face. The robot face includes a camera that is coupled to a monitor of the remote station and a monitor that is coupled to a camera of the remote station. The robot face and remote station also have speakers and microphones that are coupled together. The robot face may be coupled to a boom. The boom can extend from the ceiling of a medical facility. Alternatively, the robot face may be attached to a medical table with an attachment mechanism. The robot face and remote station allows medical personnel to provide medical consultation through the system.