Robotic Arm Navigation Arrays for Instrument Depth Tracking

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing surgical navigation technologies require frequent mounting and demounting of navigation arrays, leading to increased handling risks, potential damage, and disruption of surgical procedures, especially in robotic or robot-assisted surgeries.

Innovation Solution

A navigated instrument guide system with a main array coupled to a robotic arm and a mounted array that translates relative to an instrument mount, allowing precise tracking of the instrument's depth position without mechanical attachment, thereby eliminating the need for repeated array mounting and reducing handling.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a navigation array is removably attached to an instrument, then the array can be used to track multiple instruments, but frequent mounting and demounting increases handling risks, potential damage, and disruption of surgical procedures

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvearray reusabilityVSAvoidhandling safety

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical mounting/demounting system with an optical tracking system. The navigation array is permanently mounted on the robotic arm while optical sensors track the instrument's position and orientation without physical contact. This eliminates the need for repeated mechanical attachment while maintaining tracking capability across multiple instruments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an optical field as an intermediary between the navigation system and the instrument. Instead of mechanically coupling the array to the instrument, optical markers and sensors mediate the tracking relationship, allowing the array to track multiple instruments without physical reattachment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If a navigation array is removably attached to an instrument, then the array can be used to track multiple instruments, but the process increases the risk of incorrect calibration

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstrument flexibilityVSAvoidcalibration accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical coupling with optical tracking, eliminating calibration errors associated with repeated mounting. The optical system maintains a stable reference frame on the robotic arm while tracking instrument position through non-contact optical fields, ensuring consistent measurement precision.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The navigation array is pre-calibrated and permanently mounted on the robotic arm before the surgical procedure begins. This preliminary setup establishes a stable reference frame that eliminates the need for repeated calibration when switching between multiple instruments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If a navigation array is integrally formed with the instrument, then the tracking capability is built-in, but separate instruments are required for standard and navigation use, raising equipment costs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking integrationVSAvoidequipment quantity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the robotic arm's navigation array universal by enabling it to track multiple different instruments through optical fields. The same array and optical sensors can track various surgical instruments without requiring instrument-specific mounting hardware, reducing overall equipment complexity and cost.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the need for instrument-specific integral arrays with a universal optical tracking system. The navigation array remains permanently mounted on the robotic arm while optical sensors detect markers on different instruments, eliminating the need for separate navigation instruments.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

4Reliability

If a navigation array is integrally formed with the instrument, then the tracking capability is built-in, but the capability to decouple the array or couple it to other instruments is absent

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetracking stabilityVSAvoidarray mobility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical coupling with optical tracking, allowing the navigation array to remain permanently and stably mounted on the robotic arm while maintaining the ability to track multiple different instruments through non-contact optical fields, achieving both stability and versatility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4099940B1Navigational arrays for use with a robotic arm

Publication Date: 2026.03.04 MEDOS INT SARL

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Figure 2C~2D

AI summary

Navigated instrument guide systems and related methods can identify an absolute position of an instrument received within an instrument mount of a robotic arm. A navigation array unit of the guide system can include a main array and a mounted array. The main array can identify a position of the robotic arm and the instrument mount, while the mounted array can identify a depth position of a distal end of an instrument received within the instrument mount. The instrument can be passed through a lumen of the mounted array as the instrument is inserted into the instrument mount. The mounted array can be configured to translate relative to the instrument mount and the main array with distal translation of the instrument. In this manner, a position of the mounted array can identify a depth position of the instrument without a mechanical connection between the mounted array and the instrument.