Robotic Surgical Port Positioning With Force-Threshold Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing minimally invasive surgery systems face challenges in accurately positioning surgical ports, requiring manual alignment, which is time-consuming and prone to inaccuracies, and lack efficient force management during surgical procedures.
Innovation Solution
A robotic system that calculates an insertion vector based on a surgical plan, registers robotic and patient coordinate systems, and uses sensors to maintain the surgical port in a stable pose while applying responsive forces, generating alerts for excessive forces, and adjusting port position as needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If manual alignment is used for surgical port positioning, then device complexity is reduced, but manufacturing precision and positioning accuracy deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical alignment with an automated robotic system that uses sensors, processors, and actuators to position the surgical port. The robotic arm automatically adjusts the port position based on preoperative planning and real-time feedback, eliminating manual alignment operations while achieving superior positioning accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system performs self-positioning through automated coordination of multiple robotic arms. The system independently calculates insertion vectors, registers coordinate systems, and adjusts port position without requiring manual intervention, thereby reducing the skill dependency and variability associated with manual alignment.
2Productivity
If manual alignment is used for surgical port positioning, then setup time is reduced, but productivity deteriorates due to inaccuracies requiring repositioning
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preoperative planning and calculation of insertion vectors before the surgical procedure begins. The robotic arm is pre-programmed with the optimal port position and trajectory based on patient-specific anatomy and surgical goals. During surgery, the system only needs to execute the pre-planned path, significantly reducing setup time while maintaining high accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system incorporates real-time feedback through sensors that monitor the actual port position and compare it against the target position. This feedback loop enables automatic correction of positioning errors, ensuring the port remains accurately positioned throughout the procedure without requiring time-consuming manual adjustments or repositioning.
3Stability of the object's composition
If robotic arm applies force to maintain port pose, then stability of the object is improved, but force management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses force sensors to continuously monitor the forces acting on the surgical port and feeds this information back to the control system. The processor automatically adjusts the robotic arm's counterbalancing force to maintain optimal port stability while preventing excessive forces that could damage the port or cause patient injury. This closed-loop control simplifies force management despite the complexity of the robotic system.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system dynamically changes the counterbalancing force parameter based on real-time conditions. The processor adjusts the force magnitude and direction in response to sensor feedback, patient movement, and surgical needs. This dynamic parameter adjustment allows the system to maintain port stability across varying surgical conditions without requiring complex manual force management.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery involves calculating, based on a surgical plan, an insertion vector for an MIS port; causing a robotic arm to hold the MIS port in a pose that corresponds to the insertion vector; detecting, with a sensor on the robotic arm, a force applied to the robotic arm via the MIS port; maintaining the MIS port in the pose when the detected force is lower than a predetermined threshold; and generating an alert when the detected force exceeds the predetermined threshold.