Robotic Eye Surgery System Scaling Physician Movements
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Eye surgery, such as cataract surgery, requires precise manipulation of surgical tools in a complex and compact region, posing challenges for even experienced physicians due to the need for minute and accurate movements, which existing robotic systems have not adequately addressed.
Innovation Solution
A robotic eye surgery system that mimics the motions of a model surgical tool used on an enlarged eye model, utilizing a tracking system to mirror and scale-down the physician's movements, allowing for accurate and safe performance of surgical procedures with a minimally invasive approach, incorporating a magnetic position-tracking sensor and a processor to control the robotic arm with an eye surgery tool.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a robotic system is used to perform eye surgery, then precision and control are improved, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a simplified copy (model eye) that replicates the essential geometry and surgical challenges of the actual eye. The robotic arm tracks and mimics the master controller's movements on this copy, enabling precise surgical execution without requiring the full complexity of direct real-time control of the actual eye.
Solution Approach 2:
The model eye serves as an intermediary between the master controller and the robotic arm. It translates the surgeon's intuitive manual movements into precise robotic actions, mediating the interaction and reducing system complexity by decoupling the control interface from the execution mechanism.
2Extent of automation
If the robotic arm directly controls the surgical tool, then automation is improved, but the ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of the robotic arm directly controlling the surgical tool through complex automated programming, the system inverts the approach: the surgeon manually controls a master controller that guides the model eye, and the robotic arm passively follows and replicates these movements. This inversion makes the system easier to operate while maintaining high automation in the execution phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic arm performs self-service by automatically tracking and mimicking the movements of the master controller on the model eye. Once the surgeon establishes the desired movement pattern through the master controller, the robotic arm autonomously replicates these movements with precise scaling, reducing the need for continuous complex control input from the surgeon.
3Manufacturing precision
If movements are scaled down for precision, then manufacturing precision is improved, but the speed of operation decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds the dimension of spatial scaling between the model eye and the actual eye. By performing surgery on an enlarged model where movements can be larger and more deliberate, then translating these movements to the actual eye with appropriate scaling, the system achieves precision without sacrificing operational speed. The tracking system captures movements in one scale and automatically transforms them to the appropriate scale for the actual surgical site.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables highly accurate and safe eye surgery by translating large physician movements into precise robotic tool movements, facilitating minimally invasive procedures with improved precision and control, reducing the risk of damaging surrounding tissue.
Implementation Method 1
a magnetic position-tracking sensor for the eye surgery tool, and wherein the tracking system is further configured to track the movements of the eye surgery tool by tracking the magnetic position-tracking sensor
Data Source
AI summary
An eye surgery apparatus includes a model surgical tool, a robotic arm coupled with an eye surgery tool, a tracking-system, and a processor. The model surgical tool is configured to be maneuvered by a physician. The robotic arm is coupled with an eye surgery tool and configured to be placed in proximity to an eye of a patient. The tracking-system is configured to track movements of at least the model surgical tool. The processor is configured to (i) receive the tracked movements of the model surgical tool from the tracking system, while the physician moves the model surgical tool to perform a model eye surgery on an oversized model eye, and (ii) apply to the robotic arm movements that mirror and scale-down the movements applied by the physician to the model surgical tool, to perform a surgical procedure on the eye of the patient using the eye surgery tool.