Surgical Robot Motion Integration for Continuous Haptic Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical robotic systems face challenges in providing appropriate haptic feedback when the robotic arm reaches the limits of its physical workspace, leading to issues with movement limitations.
Innovation Solution
A surgical robotic system that utilizes a motion integrator algorithm with first and second inverse kinematics functions to calculate joint parameters in both virtual and physical workspaces, enabling force feedback even when the arm is at a boundary, by expanding the virtual workspace to encompass the physical one.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the robotic arm operates within its physical workspace boundaries, then the system maintains mechanical reliability and avoids singular configurations, but the clinician receives inadequate haptic feedback when the arm reaches boundaries even though additional movement commands are issued
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a virtual workspace that extends beyond the physical workspace boundaries, creating an additional dimensional space for operation. The virtual workspace encompasses the physical workspace and allows the robotic arm to operate in extended configurations without mechanical constraints, enabling continuous haptic feedback generation even when physical boundaries are reached.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a motion integrator as an intermediary computational layer between the physical robotic arm and the control system. This motion integrator processes commands in the virtual workspace, calculates appropriate haptic feedback based on virtual position errors, and translates them back to physical actuator commands, mediating between physical constraints and informational needs.
2Loss of information
If the virtual workspace is expanded to encompass the physical workspace, then continuous haptic feedback is provided to the clinician, but the complexity of the control system increases due to multiple inverse kinematics functions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the inverse kinematics computation into two distinct functions: a first inverse kinematics function for the virtual workspace and a second inverse kinematics function for the physical workspace. This segmentation allows each function to operate independently within its designated space, simplifying the overall control architecture despite the expanded functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The motion integrator serves multiple functions: it manages the virtual workspace, generates haptic feedback commands, coordinates both inverse kinematics functions, and ensures continuous operation. This multi-functionality consolidates what could be separate complex systems into a unified control architecture.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical robotic system includes a robotic arm having a plurality of joints and a surgical instrument and a surgical console. The surgical console includes one or more handle controllers configured to receive a user input and to provide haptic feedback based on movement of the robotic arm. The surgical console may also include a controller configured to: output a commanded pose based on the user input, wherein the robotic arm is configured to move in response the commanded pose; and process the commanded pose through a motion integrator algorithm to generate the haptic feedback.