Robotic Instrument Motion Splitting for Minimally Invasive Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic surgery systems face challenges in maneuvering surgical instruments through minimally invasive apertures without causing tissue trauma or enlarging the access site, due to excessive lateral motion and complex manual repositioning of highly configurable manipulator assemblies.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a computer-assisted approach to constrain robotic manipulator assembly motion using software and mechanical techniques, allowing axial insertion, rotation, and pivotal motion while minimizing lateral movement, and includes a processor to facilitate easy reconfiguration of the manipulator assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If robotic manipulator assembly is made highly configurable to perform intricate surgical tasks, then surgical dexterity is improved, but manual repositioning becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical repositioning with an automated control system. The processor receives commands and automatically adjusts the manipulator assembly's degrees of freedom, substituting complex manual mechanical operations with automated computational control. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining high configurability while eliminating the complexity of manual repositioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the control parameter from manual physical adjustment to automated digital commands. By transforming the manipulator from a manually-operated mechanical system to a computer-controlled system, the patent enables intricate surgical tasks while simplifying repositioning through software-based parameter adjustment rather than manual mechanical manipulation.
2Ease of operation
If robotic manipulator allows free motion at minimally invasive aperture, then surgical instrument accessibility is improved, but tissue trauma and aperture enlargement occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the motion control into independent degrees of freedom. Each degree of freedom is controlled separately by the processor, allowing selective activation of only those motions necessary for surgical access while constraining others. This segmentation enables instrument accessibility through controlled motion while preventing tissue trauma by eliminating unnecessary lateral movements at the aperture.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes motion parameters through software control. The processor adjusts the manipulator's degrees of freedom in real-time, transitioning from free motion to constrained motion as needed. This parameter control allows the system to provide instrument accessibility when required while preventing tissue trauma by constraining lateral motion at the minimally invasive aperture.
3Measurement precision
If manipulator assembly requires precise repositioning for different surgical tasks, then surgical precision is improved, but setup time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent substitutes manual mechanical repositioning with automated computational control. The processor rapidly calculates and executes precise positioning commands, replacing time-consuming manual adjustment with automated digital control. This substitution maintains surgical precision while dramatically reducing setup time between different surgical tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary computational preparation for repositioning. The processor pre-calculates the optimal configuration for upcoming surgical tasks and automatically executes the transition, eliminating the need for time-consuming manual setup. This preliminary computational action enables precise repositioning to occur rapidly, maintaining surgical precision while minimizing setup time.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer-assisted medical system includes a manipulator, an instrument holder physically coupled to the manipulator arm, and a controller that includes a computer processor. The instrument holder includes an instrument holder carriage configured to releasably couple to an instrument and translate the instrument along a longitudinal axis. The controller applies a signal that represents a movement for the instrument along the longitudinal axis to a filter to differentiate between a first and a second motion component of the movement along the longitudinal axis, and causes the instrument to move in accordance with the movement along the longitudinal axis by commanding the manipulator arm to move based on the first motion component of the movement along the longitudinal axis. The controller further commands, based on the second motion component of the movement along the longitudinal axis, the instrument holder carriage to move relative to the manipulator arm.