Robotic Manipulator State Estimation for Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic manipulators used in medical procedures experience undesirable vibrations due to flexibility and large masses or inertias, leading to inferior system performance and difficulty in maintaining precise control, especially when operating around a remote center of motion.
Innovation Solution
A robotic system with a processing unit that receives data from sensor systems on links and joints to generate state estimates and control the manipulator, using kinematic models to mitigate vibrations and improve control precision.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the robotic manipulator uses flexible links and large masses for structural compliance, then the manipulator can adapt to different surgical tasks, but it experiences under-damped vibrations with long settling times that reduce control precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system using sensors (accelerometers, gyroscopes, magnetometers) on each link to detect vibrations and feed this information back to the controller. The controller generates compensatory control signals to actively suppress vibrations, allowing the system to maintain both flexibility and control precision through continuous monitoring and adjustment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces passive mechanical damping with active electronic control systems. Instead of relying solely on mechanical structures to dampen vibrations, the system uses sensor data processing and electronic feedback to actively counteract vibrations, substituting mechanical solutions with control-theoretic approaches.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the robotic manipulator operates with large link masses and inertias for structural stability, then the manipulator maintains rigid positioning, but it generates low mechanical resonance with insufficient damping that causes vibrations during motion
Solution Approach 1:
The control system continuously monitors link vibrations using sensors and feeds this information back to generate real-time compensatory control signals. This feedback mechanism enables the system to maintain stable positioning while actively damping vibrations that would otherwise result from low mechanical resonance in massive links.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent dynamically adjusts control parameters based on detected vibration characteristics. By changing control gains and damping parameters in real-time based on sensor feedback, the system optimizes damping performance across different operating conditions without requiring physical modification of the link masses.
3Ease of operation
If the robotic manipulator uses a teleoperated control system for surgical procedures, then the operator can control the manipulator remotely, but vibrations at the tool tip make it difficult to achieve or follow commanded trajectories
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses sensors on each link to detect vibrations and feeds this information back to the controller, which generates compensatory signals to suppress vibrations before they reach the tool tip. This feedback control enables teleoperators to achieve accurate trajectories despite the inherent flexibility and vibrations of the manipulator structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary between the teleoperator's commands and the manipulator's motion. By processing operator commands through vibration compensation algorithms and sensor feedback, the system mediates between human control inputs and mechanical execution, filtering out vibrations that would otherwise degrade trajectory accuracy.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a robotic manipulator including a serial chain comprising a first joint, a first link, and a second link. The second link is between the first joint and the first link in the serial chain. The system further includes a processing unit including one or more processors. The processing unit is configured to receive first link data from a first sensor system located at the first link, generate a first joint state estimate of the first joint based on the first link data and a kinematic model of the robotic manipulator, and control the first joint based on the first joint state estimate.