Surgical Robotic Arm Control Using a Virtual Bound Near Organ Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical robotic systems face challenges in controlling the longitudinal movement of surgical instruments, which can lead to accidental puncture of organ surfaces if not adequately controlled.
Innovation Solution
A surgical robotic system with a movable arm part and a processor that determines a virtual bound based on positioning commands from a human operator, allowing for safer and more accurate control of the instrument's longitudinal movement towards a surgical target, without relying on sensor data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the surgical instrument is allowed to move freely towards the surgical target, then the productivity of the surgical procedure is improved, but the safety risk of accidentally puncturing the organ surface increases
Solution Approach 1:
A virtual bound is introduced as an intermediary control mechanism between the human operator and the surgical instrument. This virtual bound acts as a software-based mediator that automatically regulates the instrument's longitudinal movement, allowing fast movement when safe and preventing puncture when approaching the target, thereby resolving the contradiction between productivity and safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback control by continuously monitoring the position of the surgical instrument relative to the virtual bound and adjusting the actuator control accordingly. When the instrument approaches the virtual bound, the system provides feedback to the operator and automatically restricts further movement, enabling safe high-speed operation while preventing harmful puncture events
2Reliability
If a virtual bound is implemented to control longitudinal movement, then the safety of the surgical procedure is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical safety mechanisms with a software-based virtual bound system. Instead of using additional physical sensors, mechanical stops, or complex hardware interlocks, the invention uses computational algorithms running on the existing processor to enforce safety boundaries, thereby improving reliability while minimizing the increase in device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The virtual bound control system is integrated into the existing surgical robotic system and leverages existing components (processor, actuator, position sensors) for multiple functions: normal instrument control, safety boundary enforcement, and operator feedback. This multi-functionality approach avoids adding dedicated separate safety systems, thus improving reliability without proportionally increasing complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Some embodiments are directed to a surgical robotic system for use in a surgical procedure, including a surgical arm having a movable arm part for mounting of a surgical instrument having at least one degree-of-freedom to enable longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument towards a surgical target. Some other embodiments are directed to a human machine interface for receiving positioning commands from a human operator for controlling the longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument, and an actuator configured for actuating the movable arm part to effect the longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument, and controlled by a processor in accordance with the positioning commands and a virtual bound. The virtual bound establishes a transition in the control of the longitudinal movement of the surgical instrument in a direction towards the surgical target. The virtual bound is determined, during use of the surgical robotic system, based on the positioning commands.