Robotic Skin Injection System for Precision Substance Delivery
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current procedures for delivering therapeutic and cosmetic substances into or through the skin layers for targeted cutaneous, subcutaneous, and intramuscular tissue regions are labor-intensive and require numerous precise injections, lacking efficient automated solutions for procedures beyond hair transplantation.
Innovation Solution
An automated robotic system with an image-guided robotic arm and delivery device that positions and penetrates the skin surface to deliver controlled amounts of substances, such as stem cells, pharmaceuticals, and biopolymers, into specific tissue layers, using a syringe assembly or pressurization to facilitate precise and efficient delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual injection procedures are used to deliver therapeutic substances into skin layers, then flexibility in substance selection and injection pattern is maintained, but labor intensity increases and precision consistency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical injection operations with an automated robotic system that uses image guidance and computer-controlled positioning. The robotic arm with programmable delivery device eliminates manual labor while maintaining precise control over injection parameters, directly resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and manufacturing precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates self-positioning capabilities through image guidance and automated feedback mechanisms. The robotic system can autonomously locate target sites, calculate optimal injection parameters, and execute deliveries without continuous human intervention, reducing labor intensity while ensuring consistent precision across multiple injections.
2Measurement precision
If multiple transcutaneous injections are performed to deliver substances to targeted tissue regions, then delivery accuracy to specific depths is improved, but procedure time increases and productivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary image acquisition and processing to create a three-dimensional virtual model of the patient's anatomy before injections begin. This pre-planning allows the robotic system to pre-calculate optimal injection paths, depths, and angles, enabling rapid sequential injections without sacrificing depth accuracy, thus resolving the contradiction between measurement precision and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system maintains continuous operation by seamlessly transitioning between image guidance, positioning, and injection phases. The automated arm can perform multiple injections in rapid succession without manual repositioning or setup between shots, maintaining delivery depth accuracy while significantly improving procedure efficiency and overall productivity.
3Productivity
If automated robotic systems are implemented for substance delivery, then productivity and precision are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system is designed with multi-functional capabilities that allow it to perform various injection procedures, image acquisitions, and delivery methods using a single integrated platform. This universality increases productivity across different procedures while managing device complexity by consolidating multiple functions into one system rather than requiring separate specialized devices for each task.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an image-guided virtual model as an intermediary between the physical patient anatomy and the robotic injection device. This virtual representation simplifies the control interface and planning process, allowing the complex robotic system to operate more intuitively by translating anatomical complexity into manageable digital models, thereby improving productivity while making the complexity more manageable.
4Manufacturing precision
If image-guided positioning is used to locate targeted tissue regions, then delivery precision is improved, but measurement and detection difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a three-dimensional virtual copy or model of the patient's anatomy through image acquisition and processing. This digital replica allows for precise measurement, planning, and simulation of injection paths without directly manipulating the complex physical anatomy. The virtual model simplifies the detection and measurement tasks by translating complex anatomical structures into manageable digital representations, improving targeting accuracy while making image processing more tractable.
Data Source
AI summary
Automated systems and methods for delivery of a therapeutic or cosmetic substance into cutaneous, subcutaneous or intramuscular tissue, wherein an automated (e.g., robotic) arm is maneuvered to position a delivery device proximate a targeted location (e.g., an existing hair follicle, a location for implanting a skin filler, or a location for intradermal tattoo ink injection) on a patient's skin surface; and a substantially automated process is used to cause the delivery device to puncture the skin surface and penetrate to a desired depth into the tissue at the targeted location, and deliver the substance therein.