Robotic Surgical Force Feedback Using Arm Torque Sensors
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic surgical systems lack tactile feedback for surgeons, preventing them from feeling the forces applied by or on the surgical device's arms within a patient's cavity, which is essential for precise procedures.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating force and torque sensors into robotic surgical devices and systems to measure forces applied at various components and providing haptic feedback to the user through an external controller, allowing the device to actuate motors based on sensed forces for tactile simulation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If robotic surgical devices are used to perform procedures within a patient's cavity, then surgical precision and control are improved, but tactile feedback for the surgeon is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements force sensors on the robotic device arms and haptic actuators in the external controller to create a closed-loop feedback system. The force sensors detect forces applied by or on the arms within the patient's cavity, and this information is transmitted to the controller which actuates haptic motors to provide tactile feedback to the surgeon's hands, thereby resolving the information loss while maintaining surgical precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces force sensors and haptic actuators as intermediary components between the surgeon and the surgical site. These intermediaries transmit force information from the deep tissue environment to the surgeon's hands through the controller, enabling tactile perception without direct physical contact with the surgical site
2Loss of information
If force sensors are added to measure forces applied by robotic arms, then tactile feedback capability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates force sensors into existing structural components of the robotic device such as the arms and joints, allowing these components to serve both their primary mechanical function and the secondary function of force sensing. This multi-functionality approach adds tactile feedback capability while minimizing the increase in overall device complexity
Data Source
AI summary
The various embodiments herein relate to robotic surgical systems and devices that use force and/or torque sensors to measure forces applied at various components of the system or device. Certain implementations include robotic surgical devices having one or more force/torque sensors that detect or measure one or more forces applied at or on one or more arms. Other embodiments relate to systems having a robotic surgical device that has one or more sensors and an external controller that has one or more motors such that the sensors transmit information that is used at the controller to actuate the motors to provide haptic feedback to a user.