Distributed Control Architecture for Surgical Robot Arm Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical robotic systems face challenges in efficiently controlling multiple robot arms and instruments with distributed control systems, particularly in maintaining precise positioning and orientation of end effectors while minimizing computational load and heat generation.
Innovation Solution
A distributed control system is implemented with a central controller and arm controllers, where the central controller determines wrist positions and instrument drive joint positions, distributing processing to reduce computational load on arm controllers and enabling efficient maintenance and collision avoidance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a centralized control system is used to control multiple robot arms, then precise positioning and orientation control is achieved, but computational load and heat generation increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into a central controller that handles high-level coordination and arm controllers that handle local execution. The central controller determines wrist positions and instrument drive joint positions, while arm controllers execute the actual joint movements. This segmentation distributes computational load, reducing the burden on any single controller while maintaining precise positioning control through coordinated operation.
2Reliability
If multiple robot arms are controlled with full computational processing, then precise control is achieved, but heat generation increases
Solution Approach 1:
Complex computational processing is extracted from the arm controllers and consolidated in the central controller. The arm controllers retain only essential execution functions, while the central controller performs sophisticated calculations for wrist positioning and instrument joint control. This extraction reduces heat generation in distributed controllers while maintaining control precision through centralized computational oversight.
3Ease of repair
If distributed control is implemented across multiple controllers, then maintenance efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is divided into modular components: a central controller for high-level coordination and separate arm controllers for local execution. This segmentation enables independent maintenance of individual arm controllers without affecting the entire system, improving maintenance efficiency. The modular architecture manages complexity by organizing functions into distinct, manageable units with well-defined interfaces.
4Reliability
If collision detection is implemented across multiple arms, then safety is improved, but computational requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The central controller acts as an intermediary that coordinates collision detection across multiple robot arms. Rather than requiring each arm controller to perform independent collision detection calculations, the central controller manages the detection process by determining wrist positions and instrument joint positions, reducing overall computational requirements while maintaining safety through system-wide monitoring.
Data Source
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AI summary
A control system for a surgical robotic system, the surgical robotic system comprising a remote surgeon console (501) and an articulated surgical robot arm (201) comprising a series of joints (205) extending from a base (201) to a terminal end (203) for attaching to an articulated surgical instrument (204). The control system comprises a central controller (502) communicatively coupled to and remotely located from an arm controller (503, 504, 505) of the surgical robot arm, the central controller (502) also communicatively coupled to a surgeon input device of the surgeon console (501). The central controller (502) is configured to: receive a command from the surgeon input device indicating a desired position of a distal end of the surgical instrument (204); transform the desired position of the distal end to (i) a desired wrist position of a wrist of the surgical robot arm (201), and (ii) desired instrument drive joint positions for those joints of the surgical robot arm which drive joints of the articulated surgical instrument (204); and transmit the desired wrist position and desired instrument drive joint positions to the arm controller (503, 504, 505).