Modular Robotic Surgery Arm for Single-Port Mobility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current minimally invasive surgical technologies, such as laparoscopy and robotic systems, face limitations due to mobility restrictions, limited visual feedback, and high costs, making them inadequate for complex surgical procedures.

Innovation Solution

A robotic surgical device with modular, minimally invasive components that provide six degrees of freedom, allowing for enhanced dexterity and intuitive control, with internal actuation and visualization to facilitate safer and more precise procedures, while minimizing incision size and complexity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If rigid tools are used for minimally invasive surgery, then the surgical procedure can be performed through access ports, but mobility is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovemobilityVSAvoidaccess port requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic surgical device is divided into multiple segments including a support component, a robotic arm, and an end effector. The support component is disposed through the access port while the robotic arm and end effector are positioned within the body cavity, allowing independent movement and positioning of each segment to achieve enhanced mobility without requiring multiple access ports

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The robotic arm provides six degrees of freedom for positioning the end effector, adding multiple dimensional movements beyond the simple linear insertion through the access port. This enables complex maneuvers and orientations within the body cavity while maintaining the minimally invasive single-port approach

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Measurement precision

If robotic systems are used to improve surgical capabilities, then precision and dexterity are enhanced, but the system size and cost increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurgical precisionVSAvoidsystem size
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic arm is positioned within the body cavity through a single access port, with the end effector nested at the distal end of the robotic arm. This nested configuration allows the compact robotic system to achieve high precision within the constrained surgical space without requiring a large external system footprint

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The robotic device incorporates actuators and sensors that enable precise control and feedback, replacing purely mechanical manual manipulation with automated control systems. This substitution provides enhanced surgical precision and dexterity while maintaining a compact form factor through intelligent control rather than oversized mechanical components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Object-affected harmful factors

If minimally invasive procedures are used to reduce patient trauma, then incision size is reduced, but visual feedback and mobility are limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepatient traumaVSAvoidvisual feedback
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The robotic surgical device incorporates sensors that provide real-time feedback on the position and orientation of the end effector within the body cavity. This feedback mechanism enables the system to maintain precise control and awareness of the surgical environment despite the minimally invasive single-port access, compensating for the limited visual feedback through tactile and positional sensing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP2996545B1Robotic surgical systems
Publication Date: 2021.10.20 BOARD OF RGT UNIV OF NEBRASKA
  • EP2996545B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1D
  • EP2996545B1 patent drawingFigure 2A~2B
  • EP2996545B1 patent drawingFigure 2C~2D

AI summary

The embodiments disclosed herein relate to various medical device components, including components that can be incorporated into robotic and/or in vivo medical devices. Certain embodiments include various modular medical devices for in vivo medical procedures.