Surgical Robot Force Sensing via Intermediary Sensor Unit
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical robot systems face challenges in accurately measuring and managing forces and torques between cannulas and patients' bodies during robotic surgery, leading to potential undesired forces and increased costs due to difficulties in installing sensors on cannulas.
Innovation Solution
A surgical robot apparatus with a passive arm, an active arm, a cannula holder, and a sensor unit that measures forces and torques, allowing for easy installation and monitoring of these forces and torques, ensuring patient safety by adjusting the position of the passive arm based on sensor data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a sensor is installed on the cannula to measure force, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase due to structural difficulty in installing sensors on cannulas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a force sensor installed on the robot arm that indirectly measures the force applied to the cannula through mechanical transmission. This intermediary measurement approach avoids the complexity of directly installing sensors on the cannula while still achieving accurate force measurement. The sensor detects forces transmitted through the robot arm's mechanical structure during cannula manipulation.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the cannula position moves during surgery, then adaptability is improved, but harmful factors increase due to undesired forces on the patient's body
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where force sensors continuously monitor forces applied to the cannula, and the control unit adjusts the robot arm's motion to maintain forces within safe ranges. When the cannula position changes during surgery, the system detects force variations and provides real-time feedback to prevent undesired forces from being applied to the patient's body, thus enabling safe adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system establishes preset safe force ranges before surgery begins. The control unit proactively prevents forces exceeding these ranges by adjusting robot arm motion in advance, rather than reacting after harmful forces are applied. This preliminary anti-action ensures that even when cannula position changes are necessary, patient safety is maintained.
3Reliability
If force measurement is implemented to ensure safety, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional sensors and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates force measurement functionality into the existing robot arm structure, allowing the same mechanical components to serve both surgical manipulation and force sensing functions. The force sensors are incorporated into the robot arm's joints or links, enabling multi-functionality where the robot arm performs both positioning and force measurement tasks, thereby improving reliability without proportionally increasing overall system complexity.
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 easy and safe setup of the surgical robot system, accurately measures and monitors forces and torques, ensuring patient safety by correcting positions when forces exceed preset ranges, and simplifies sensor installation on the cannula holder.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor unit installed between the cannula holder and the end portion of the active arm, and sensing a force and torque applied to the cannula holder
Data Source
AI summary
This application relates to a surgical robot apparatus and a method of driving the surgical robot apparatus. The surgical robot apparatus may include a passive arm, of which a position is set before performing surgery, and an active arm connected to the passive arm, and driven to manipulate a surgical tool while performing surgery. The apparatus may also include a cannula holder which is installed at an end portion of the active arm and in which a cannula for holding the surgical tool is inserted. The apparatus may further include a sensor unit installed between the cannula holder and the end portion of the active arm, and sensing a force and torque applied to the cannula holder and a controller connected to the sensor unit and receiving data about the force and torque.