Surgical Robot Force Feedback via Master Console Intermediary
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical robots lack the ability to feed back force received by robotic surgical instruments from external environments to the master console without the use of sensors, which limits the operator's feedback and control during minimally invasive surgeries.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a master console with force/torque detectors, a force compensator, and a master controller that generates force control signals to cancel out operator-applied forces, allowing the slave robot to drive robotic surgical instruments to follow motion control signals and compensate for position/velocity errors, effectively transmitting force feedback to the operator.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sensors are installed on robotic surgical instruments to measure force from external environment, then force feedback capability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The master console acts as an intermediary that generates virtual force feedback signals based on motion control signals and operator input forces, eliminating the need for physical force sensors on the robotic surgical instrument. The master controller computes feedback forces using the relationship between operator-applied forces and instrument motion, then transmits these computed forces back to the operator through the handle.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical sensor-based force measurement system with a computational model that calculates force feedback based on motion control parameters. Instead of using physical sensors to measure contact forces, the system uses the master controller to compute equivalent forces from motion control signals and operator input, substituting mechanical measurement with mathematical modeling.
2Reliability
If force sensors are used to detect contact forces, then measurement capability is improved, but measurement precision deteriorates due to sensor noise
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces physical force sensors with a computational approach that calculates force feedback from motion control signals. The master controller computes feedback forces using mathematical relationships between operator input forces and instrument motion parameters, avoiding the noise and measurement errors inherent in physical sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates a virtual model of force feedback that copies the essential characteristics of actual contact forces without using physical sensors. The master controller generates computed force signals that replicate what would be measured by sensors, based on the known relationship between operator forces and instrument motion.
3Reliability
If sensors are installed on robotic instruments, then force feedback is achieved, but system stability worsens due to sensor noise and complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The master console serves as an intermediary that processes motion control signals and generates stable virtual force feedback without the instability introduced by physical sensors. The master controller computes force feedback using stable mathematical relationships between operator forces and instrument motion, avoiding sensor noise and drift that would compromise system stability.
Data Source
AI summary
A master console includes handles configured to control robotic surgical instruments of a slave robot, force/torque detectors configured to detect forces applied to the handles by an operator, a force compensator configured to generate force control signals that cancel out the forces applied to the handles by the operator, and a master controller configured to drive at least one joint of each of the handles in order to control motion of the handles based on motion control signals and the generated force control signals.