3D Scanner for Robotic Port Placement Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Robotic medical systems face challenges in precisely positioning robotic arms during setup to avoid collisions and reach target anatomy effectively, especially in complex procedures requiring precise port placements with small tolerances for error.

Innovation Solution

Incorporating a 3-D scanner that communicates with the robotic medical system to determine optimal port locations by scanning the patient and surrounding anatomy, using data to identify 'keep out' zones and recommend precise port placements, which can be displayed to users through a user interface or augmented reality, ensuring safe and efficient arm movement.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If multiple robotic arms are used to provide flexibility and enable novel surgical procedures, then the capability to perform complex medical procedures is improved, but the complexity of positioning robotic arms to avoid collisions and reach target anatomy increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecapability to perform complex medical proceduresVSAvoidcomplexity of positioning robotic arms

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary 3-D scanning of the patient's anatomy before the surgical procedure to create a digital model. This pre-operative planning allows the robotic arms to be pre-positioned and their paths pre-calculated to avoid collisions, reducing the complexity of real-time positioning adjustments during surgery.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

A 3-D scanning device serves as an intermediary between the robotic arms and the patient's anatomy. It captures spatial information about the patient's body, organs, and surrounding structures, providing the robotic system with the data needed to calculate safe paths and positions for multiple arms without direct collision risk.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If precise port placement is achieved within small tolerances (1.5 cm or less), then the precision of surgical port locations is improved, but the difficulty of achieving such precise placement increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of port placementVSAvoiddifficulty of achieving precise placement

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual measurement and marking methods with an automated 3-D scanning system. The scanner captures precise spatial data of the patient's anatomy, and computational algorithms automatically calculate optimal port locations based on the digital model, eliminating human error in measurement and achieving sub-centimeter precision consistently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The 3-D scanner creates a digital copy (virtual model) of the patient's anatomy, including the precise three-dimensional positions of organs, tissues, and body surfaces. This digital twin allows the system to simulate and optimize port placement locations without physically marking or measuring on the patient, achieving high precision through computational accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

3Measurement precision

If 3-D scanning is performed to determine optimal port locations, then the accuracy of port placement is improved, but the additional equipment and setup time required increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of port placementVSAvoidadditional equipment and setup

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The 3-D scanning device is designed to serve multiple functions: it captures anatomical data for port placement, creates digital models for surgical planning, and provides spatial information for robotic arm positioning. By consolidating these functions into a single multi-functional system, the added complexity is minimized while maximizing the accuracy benefits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The system merges the 3-D scanning capability with the robotic medical system's existing infrastructure, integrating the scanner into the surgical workflow. The scanning data is directly fed into the robotic control system's planning algorithms, combining data acquisition and execution functions to reduce the practical impact of additional equipment and setup time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS20230081437A1Patient 3-d scanning and methods for optimizing port placement

Publication Date: 2023.03.16 AURIS HEALTH INC

AI summary

Robotic medical systems can generate recommended port locations for a patient and communicate the recommended port locations to users of the robotic medical systems. A robotic medical system can include a robotic arm and one or more processors in communication with a 3-D scanner. The robotic medical system can be configured to obtain, via the 3-D scanner, data including a view of a patient of the robotic medical system, determine a recommended port location for the patient in accordance with the obtained data, and provide information indicating the recommended port location for the patient.