Robotic Surgical Collision Warnings Using Stereoscopic Tool Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic surgical systems pose safety risks due to potential collisions with individuals holding non-robotic tools, as the surgeon's limited view and the robotic system's arm movements can lead to unintended contact, causing injuries.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgical system that uses stereoscopic imaging to identify the type and pose of human-held tools, infers the position of the person holding the tool, determines the spatial relationship with the robotic linkage, and generates warnings of potential collisions by analyzing the swept volume of the robotic system's movement based on joint angles and velocities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the surgeon operates the robotic surgical system with a limited scope of view through a display, then the surgical precision and control are improved, but the safety is worsened due to inability to see the placement of assisting persons
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary collision detection system that includes cameras, processors, and warning devices. This intermediary system mediates between the surgeon's limited visual field and the actual surgical environment, providing safety monitoring without requiring the surgeon to have direct visual contact with all areas.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical visual monitoring system (surgeon's direct line of sight) with an electronic detection system using cameras, processors, and display devices. This substitution allows the surgeon to maintain precise control through the robotic interface while the electronic system monitors for potential collisions and provides warnings.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the robotic system moves the robotic arms to perform surgical operations, then the surgical capability is improved, but the risk of collision with persons in close proximity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of persons in the surgical field using cameras and image processing before robotic arm movements are executed. The processor continuously monitors the environment and identifies potential collision risks in advance, allowing the system to prepare warning signals before actual collision occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a feedback loop where cameras continuously capture images of the surgical field, the processor analyzes these images to detect persons and assess collision risk, and the warning device provides real-time feedback to the surgeon. This closed-loop feedback system enables continuous monitoring and immediate warning when collision risk is detected.
Data Source
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AI summary
Systems and methods are provided to mitigate potential collisions between a person and robotic system. In various embodiments, a robotic surgical system includes a robotic linkage including joints, an endoscope coupled to a distal portion of the robotic linkage and configured to capture stereoscopic images, and a controller in communication with the endoscope. The controller executes instructions to analyze the stereoscopic images from the endoscope to identify a human-held tool in the stereoscopic images and to estimate a type and/or pose of the human-held tool, infer a position of a person holding the human-held tool based on the type and/or pose of the human-held tool, determine a spatial relationship between the person and the robotic linkage based on the inferred position of the person, and generate a warning of potential collision between the person and the robotic linkage based on the determined spatial relationship.