Slider Control for Medical Robotics Degrees of Freedom
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current user interfaces for medical robotics systems lack intuitive control over multiple degrees of freedom, making it difficult for physicians to operate surgical instruments effectively during procedures.
Innovation Solution
A user interface featuring a control panel with sliders that can be slidably moved along various paths to actuate motors, providing independent control over multiple degrees of freedom, including insertion, rotation, and articulation of surgical instruments, with optional touchscreen virtual sliders and roller mechanisms for enhanced control modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a joystick device is used to control surgical instruments, then multiple degrees of freedom can be controlled simultaneously, but the control is not intuitive and is difficult to operate
Solution Approach 1:
The control device is segmented into multiple independent sliders, each controlling a specific degree of freedom of the surgical instrument. This segmentation allows each slider to be operated independently, providing intuitive control for each motion parameter (insertion, rotation, articulation) without the complexity of a single multi-axis joystick.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary computational layer that maps the simple linear movements of individual sliders to the complex multi-degree-of-freedom motions of the surgical instrument. This intermediary processing layer translates intuitive slider positions into coordinated motor commands, maintaining ease of operation while achieving complex instrument control.
2Measurement precision
If independent control of multiple degrees of freedom is implemented, then precision control is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each degree of freedom is assigned to a separate slider, enabling precise independent control of insertion depth, rotation angle, and articulation. This segmentation provides precise measurement and control for each parameter while keeping the control interface simple and manageable through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system dynamically adjusts the mapping between slider positions and instrument motions based on the current surgical context. The system can adaptively change which slider controls which degree of freedom or combine multiple sliders for complex motions, providing precision control without requiring a permanently complex device structure.
Data Source
AI summary
One exemplary user interface for a medical robotics system may include a control panel and one or more sliders that may be slidably carried by the control panel to actuate one or more motors for moving a surgical instrument of the medical robotics system. The sliders may be configured to actuate the motors to move the surgical instrument along a respective one of a plurality of degrees of freedom.