Sterile Drape Interface for Stable Robotic Microsurgery Tools
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing robotic systems for microsurgical procedures face challenges in maintaining tool stability and sterility during intraocular surgery, particularly in preventing unwanted rolling of non-symmetrical tools with respect to the patient's eye and ensuring seamless motion transmission across sterile and non-sterile zones.
Innovation Solution
A robotic system with multi-jointed arms and end effectors that accommodate rolling by compensating with tool axis rotation, combined with a sterile drape system that maintains sterility while allowing motion transmission across zones, using gear mechanisms and linear tool motors to drive tools within the sterile field.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If multi-jointed robotic arms are used to perform intraocular surgery, then surgical precision and automation are improved, but unwanted rolling of non-symmetrical tools with respect to the patient's eye occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary counter-rotation to the tool about its longitudinal axis to compensate for and cancel out the rolling motion that would otherwise occur during robotic arm movement. This predictive compensation prevents the instability before it affects surgical precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor the position and orientation of the tool during movement, calculating and applying corrective rotations in real-time to maintain stable tool orientation despite the dynamic motion of the multi-jointed arms.
2Reliability
If a sterile drape is introduced to separate sterile and non-sterile zones, then sterility is maintained, but motion transmission from robotic arms to tools becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The sterile drape acts as an intermediary barrier that physically separates sterile and non-sterile zones while allowing controlled motion transmission. The drape incorporates sealed openings or flexible sections that transmit robotic arm movements to the tool mount without compromising the sterile field.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system is segmented into distinct sterile and non-sterile zones separated by the drape. Motion transmission is achieved through dedicated interfaces that allow mechanical coupling across the sterile boundary, enabling independent control and sterilization of each zone.
3Stability of the object's composition
If tools are rotated about their longitudinal axis to compensate for rolling, then tool stability is improved, but the mechanism for achieving this rotation adds complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The tool mount is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as the interface for holding the surgical tool and as the mechanism for rotating the tool about its longitudinal axis. This integrated design eliminates the need for separate rotation mechanisms, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining tool orientation stability.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables precise and stable tool movement within the eye, maintaining sterility and accommodating large rotational ranges without compromising surgical precision or sterility.
Implementation Method 1
a gear mechanism configured to be disposed within the sterile zone and configured to drive the tool to rotate with respect to the end effector
Implementation Method 2
a linear tool motor configured to drive a tool actuation arm to move linearly
Data Source
AI summary
Apparatus and methods are described for performing a procedure using a robotic unit. A sterile drape is placed around a drape plate, such that the sterile drape is sealed with respect to the drape plate and forms an interface between a non-sterile zone and a sterile zone, a tool mount being disposed within the sterile zone, and one or more robotic arms and a linear tool motor being disposed within the non-sterile zone. A tool-actuation arm, disposed within the non-sterile zone, is driven to move linearly to thereby move at least the portion of the tool linearly with respect to the end effector. A portion of the sterile drape that is configured to be disposed at an interface between the tool-actuation arm and the portion of the tool that is pushed has greater rigidity and/or wearability than other portions of the drape. Other applications are also described.