Touch-Free Surgical Robot Arm Control Using Capacitive Hover Sensing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical robotic system components, such as manipulators and tables, are difficult to move and reconfigure within an operating arena while maintaining sterility and safety, as manual handling can cause injuries and disrupt the sterile environment, and results in jagged or discretized motion due to varying friction and inertia.
Innovation Solution
A capacitive hover sensing system is integrated into surgical robotic components, allowing for touch-free control through proximity sensing pads that detect hand gestures, enabling smooth and continuous movement of the robotic arms and tables without direct physical contact, automatically computing the required joint movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual handling is used to move surgical robotic components, then ease of operation is improved, but safety and sterility are compromised due to risk of injuries and drape tearing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical handling with an automated robotic system that uses sensors (optical, capacitive, ultrasonic) to detect hand gestures and automatically moves surgical robotic components. This eliminates direct physical contact between the user and the components, preventing drape tearing and maintaining sterility while improving safety by avoiding pinching injuries.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary control system that acts as a mediator between the user and the surgical robotic components. The system uses gesture recognition technology where the user's hand movements are detected by sensors, processed by a controller, and translated into automated movement commands, eliminating the need for direct manual contact with the components.
2Productivity
If manual force is applied to reposition components, then productivity is improved through direct control, but motion quality deteriorates due to jagged and discretized movement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical pushing/pulling with an automated robotic positioning system that uses sensors to detect hand gestures and computationally calculates the required joint movements. This automated system provides smooth, continuous motion control through precise computational algorithms, eliminating the jagged and discretized movement characteristic of manual handling while maintaining fast repositioning speed.
3Ease of operation
If direct contact is made with surgical robotic manipulators, then ease of operation is improved through tactile feedback, but harmful factors increase due to pinching injuries and drape damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary gesture recognition system that allows the user to control surgical robotic manipulators without direct contact. The system uses optical, capacitive, or ultrasonic sensors to detect hand gestures in the air, processes these gestures through a controller, and translates them into manipulator movements, eliminating the risk of pinching injuries and drape damage while maintaining intuitive control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces direct mechanical contact and tactile feedback with a non-contact gesture recognition system using sensors and computational algorithms. The system detects hand movements through changes in optical fields, capacitive fields, or ultrasonic waves, and translates these gestures into controlled manipulator movements, eliminating harmful physical contact while preserving ease of operation.
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
This solution enhances ergonomics by reducing physical effort and maintaining sterility, enabling smooth and continuous motion of surgical robotic components, improving safety and efficiency in repositioning without the need for manual force, thus addressing the challenges of manual handling.
Implementation Method 1
A sensor assembly that is coupled to the surgical robotic system component and is made up of multiple capacitive hover sensing pads that allow for touch-free or non-contact sensing of the user's hand/finger gestures. A change of capacitance on each linear conductive pad line, as caused, for example, by user hand gestures
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical robotic system comprising: a surgical robotic arm having a plurality of robotic arm links and a plurality of joints operable to move according to multiple degrees of freedom; a proximity sensor coupled to the surgical robotic arm, the proximity sensor comprising a plurality of sensing pads operable to detect a movement of a nearby controlling object prior to contact with the surgical robotic arm; and a processor configured to determine a desired position of the surgical robotic arm based on the detected movement of the nearby controlling object and drive a movement of more than one of the plurality of robotic arm links or the plurality of joints to achieve the desired position of the surgical robotic arm.