Robotic Surgical System Coordinated Instrument Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic surgical systems face challenges in providing true force feedback to surgeons and coordinating the movement of multiple surgical instruments, leading to difficulties in communication and synchronization during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A robotic surgical system with movable arms and a controller that allows for coordinated movement of multiple surgical instruments, including a mode for maintaining a fixed spatial relationship and a notification mechanism for impending collisions, along with a camera system for guiding instruments into view and preventing collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If robotic systems control multiple surgical instruments independently, then each instrument can be precisely controlled, but communication and synchronization between instruments becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple independently controlled instruments into a coordinated group where the robotic system manages their collective movement. The system merges the control of multiple instruments while maintaining individual precision, allowing them to move together as a coordinated unit during surgical procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system dynamically switches between different control modes: independent instrument control for precise individual manipulation and coordinated group movement for synchronized multi-instrument operations. This dynamic adaptability resolves the contradiction between precision control and coordination ease.
2Measurement precision
If robotic systems provide force feedback to surgeons, then surgical precision improves, but system complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses visual copying and spatial relationship maintenance instead of direct force feedback. The robotic system captures the spatial relationship between instruments and maintains it during coordinated movement, providing surgeons with visual information about instrument positions and relationships without requiring complex force feedback mechanisms.
3Adaptability or versatility
If robotic arms move independently to access different anatomical areas, then surgical versatility improves, but collision risk between arms increases
Solution Approach 1:
The robotic system implements continuous spatial monitoring and feedback between multiple arms. Sensors detect the positions and movements of all robotic arms in real-time, and the control system adjusts arm trajectories to prevent collisions while maintaining the ability to access different anatomical quadrants and perform versatile surgical tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary spatial analysis and trajectory planning before moving robotic arms to different anatomical areas. By pre-calculating safe movement paths and maintaining awareness of other arm positions, the system prevents collisions before they occur while preserving surgical versatility.
Data Source
AI summary
Various exemplary methods, systems, and devices for controlling movement of a robotic surgical system are provided. In general, a plurality of surgical instruments are simultaneously usable during performance of a surgical procedure. One or more of the plurality of instruments is coupled to a robotic surgical system, that is configured to control movement of the one or more of the plurality of instruments.