Medical Robotic Arm Configuration for Collision-Free Surgical Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Medical robotic arms face challenges in efficiently configuring their workspace during surgical procedures, particularly in border areas where load-bearing capacity and positioning accuracy are compromised, leading to reduced freedom of movement for surgical personnel and potential collisions with equipment or patients.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method determines the optimal configuration of a medical robotic arm by acquiring treatment information, patient position data, and spatial constraint data, calculating the pose and base position to ensure maximum accessibility and minimal interference with surgical staff and equipment, using a global coordinate system and considering constraints from various sources like imaging devices and operating room layout.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Area of stationary object

If the robotic arm operates in border areas of the work space, then the coverage area is maximized, but the positioning accuracy deteriorates and load-bearing capacity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvework space coverageVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary calculation of the optimal robotic arm configuration before the surgical procedure begins. By pre-determining the base position and pose that maximize workspace coverage while maintaining accuracy requirements, the system avoids the need to operate in border areas during the procedure, thereby preventing deterioration of positioning accuracy and load-bearing capacity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Area of stationary object

If the robotic arm is positioned to maximize workspace, then the coverage area increases, but the freedom of movement for surgical personnel is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvework space coverageVSAvoidfreedom of movement for personnel

Core Design Contradiction:

Area of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies local quality by optimizing the robotic arm configuration specifically for the surgical site area, allowing maximum workspace coverage in the treatment region while maintaining open access paths for surgical personnel in surrounding areas. The base position is calculated to provide localized workspace expansion without creating obstacles for team movement

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Ease of operation

If the robotic arm configuration is optimized for accessibility, then the ease of operation improves, but the positioning accuracy in border areas deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveaccessibilityVSAvoidpositioning accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Ease of operation

If the robotic arm operates near the patient and equipment, then the treatment accessibility improves, but the risk of collision increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetreatment accessibilityVSAvoidcollision risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system takes preliminary anti-action by pre-calculating and establishing a safe operational configuration that proactively prevents collision risks. The optimization process considers the positions of the patient and surrounding equipment, determining a base position and pose that provides adequate clearance while maintaining treatment accessibility, thereby preventing harmful collisions before they can occur

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Data Source

PatentUS11141859B2Determining a configuration of a medical robotic arm

Publication Date: 2021.10.12 BRAINLAB AG

AI summary

A computer implemented method for determining a configuration of a medical robotic arm, wherein the configuration comprises a pose of the robotic arm and a position of a base of the robotic arm, comprising the steps of: —acquiring treatment information data representing information about the treatment to be performed by use of the robotic arm; —acquiring patient position data representing the position of a patient to be treated; and —calculating the configuration from the treatment information data and the patient position data.