Surgical Cart Obstacle Indication Using Laser Collision Warning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing teleoperated surgical systems lack effective means to detect and avoid obstacles, such as ceiling-mounted fixtures, when moving patient side carts within an operating room, potentially leading to collisions.
Innovation Solution
Equipping patient side carts with an obstacle indication system, including an illumination source like a laser that directs light onto potential collision objects, activated based on predetermined heights and thresholds, providing visual feedback to the user.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the patient side cart is moved freely within the operating room, then the cart can be positioned flexibly for surgical procedures, but the cart may collide with ceiling-mounted fixtures or other obstacles
Solution Approach 1:
The obstacle indication system is activated before the cart reaches the obstacle, providing advance warning to the operator. The system detects obstacles ahead of the cart's current position and illuminates them with a light source, allowing the operator to take corrective action before collision occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
A light source acts as an intermediary between the obstacle detection system and the operator. The light source illuminates detected obstacles, making them visible to the operator and enabling safe navigation without direct contact between the cart and obstacle.
2Reliability
If an obstacle indication system is added to the patient side cart, then collision avoidance capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical obstacle avoidance systems with a simpler optical indication system. Instead of using mechanical sensors, actuators, or automated navigation systems, the invention uses a light source to illuminate obstacles detected by the cart's position system, significantly reducing complexity while maintaining reliability.
3Reliability
If the illumination source continuously illuminates the entire path, then all obstacles are visible, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination source is activated periodically or on-demand based on the cart's movement and detected obstacles, rather than continuously illuminating the entire path. The system activates the light source only when obstacles are detected in the cart's path, reducing energy consumption while maintaining adequate obstacle detection coverage.
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
Enhances safety by allowing users to avoid collisions by visually indicating potential obstacles, ensuring smooth maneuvering of the patient side cart during movement and reconfiguration.
Implementation Method 1
an obstacle indication system including an illumination source that directs light in a path of the boom
Data Source
AI summary
A medical system comprises a mobile medical apparatus having a column extending from a base; a surgical instrument manipulator arm coupled proximate to the second end of the column; and one or more object detection devices mounted on the mobile medical apparatus and arranged to detect one or more objects object in an environment surrounding the mobile medical apparatus and over an angular range of locations relative to the column. The medical system further includes a control system configured to determine a potential for interference between the mobile medical apparatus and an object detected by the one or more object detection devices.