Robotic Surgical End Effector Temperature Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic surgical systems face challenges in safely managing the temperature of end effectors to prevent inadvertent contact with non-targeted tissue, other instrumentation, or the clinician, particularly during removal and post-removal movements, which can lead to trauma or injury.
Innovation Solution
A control module is programmed with algorithms to monitor the temperature of end effectors and provide feedback to clinicians through visual, auditory, or haptic means, restricting movement or preventing removal if the end effector is above or below a certain threshold, ensuring safe handling and preventing unintended contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the end effector is allowed to be removed freely from the patient, then the productivity of the surgical procedure is improved, but the risk of injury to non-targeted tissue, instrumentation, or the clinician increases due to high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The control module continuously monitors temperature parameters of the end effector and provides real-time feedback to the clinician through visual, auditory, or haptic signals. When the temperature exceeds a predetermined threshold, the system alerts the clinician and restricts removal movement, enabling safe operation through continuous monitoring and feedback.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the removal characteristics of the end effector based on real-time temperature conditions. When temperature is within safe limits, removal is allowed; when temperature exceeds the threshold, removal is restricted. This dynamic control adapts the system behavior to current thermal states, resolving the contradiction between productivity and safety.
2Reliability
If the end effector removal is restricted when temperature is high, then the safety against thermal injury is improved, but the time required for procedure completion increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time temperature monitoring and feedback to the clinician, enabling informed decisions about when removal is safe. The visual, auditory, or haptic alerts allow the clinician to understand the thermal state and plan removal timing accordingly, minimizing unnecessary delays while ensuring safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary temperature assessment before allowing removal. By monitoring temperature parameters continuously and alerting the clinician in advance when thresholds are approached, the system enables preparatory actions to cool the end effector or adjust positioning, thereby minimizing actual removal delays.
3Reliability
If real-time temperature monitoring is implemented, then the safety against inadvertent contact is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control module integrates temperature sensing and feedback mechanisms into the existing robotic surgical system architecture. By utilizing the controller's existing processing capabilities and standard output interfaces for visual, auditory, or haptic feedback, the system achieves real-time monitoring without requiring entirely new complex subsystems.
Solution Approach 2:
The control module performs multiple functions: it monitors temperature parameters, processes thermal data, generates feedback signals through existing output channels, and controls motor functions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components, thereby limiting the increase in overall device complexity.
4Temperature
If the end effector is kept in position for cooling, then the temperature safety is improved, but the productivity of the surgical procedure decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the end effector's position and motor functions based on real-time temperature feedback. When cooling is needed, the system restricts removal movement and may activate cooling mechanisms. When temperature decreases below the threshold, the system automatically restores removal freedom, enabling flexible adaptation between cooling and productivity requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system engages in periodic temperature monitoring and cooling cycles, alternating between periods of restricted movement for cooling and periods of free movement for surgical tasks. This periodic action allows the end effector to be cooled when necessary while maintaining overall surgical productivity through efficient cycling between these states.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a robotic arm, an instrument, and a control module. The control module is operable to drive movement of the robotic arm to thereby move the instrument relative to the patient. The control module is configured to monitor one or more parameters indicative of a temperature of a portion of the end effector of the instrument; to determine whether the temperature of the portion of the end effector crosses a threshold value, based at least in part on the one or more monitored parameters; and to restrict movement of the end effector in response to determining that the temperature of the portion of the end effector crosses the threshold value. The restricted movement may include removal of the end effector from the patient or movement of the end effector after removal of the end effector from the patient.