Surgical Robot Operable Area Mapping for Stable Kinematics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Deriving a kinematic solution for a surgical robot during surgery is challenging due to the unpredictable changes in patient location and pose, leading to potential delays and interruptions in surgical procedures.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that simulate the movement of a surgical robot's end effector within a defined operable area, determining test positions, and adjusting the operable area and cutting path to ensure stable kinematic solutions through simulation and modification based on virtual locations and reference coordinate systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Extent of automation

If teaching is performed to make the robot remember operation sequence and location before surgery, then the robot can perform automated surgery, but the patient location and pose may change during surgery causing kinematic solution problems

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveautomated surgeryVSAvoidkinematic solution stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary simulation of the cutting path and robot movements before surgery to identify potential kinematic problems. By simulating the entire surgical procedure in advance and generating an operable area map, the system prepares for possible deviations without requiring re-teaching during surgery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors the actual patient position and compares it with the pre-planned cutting path. When deviations are detected, the system provides feedback to adjust the robot's movements in real-time, ensuring kinematic solutions remain valid despite changes in patient location or pose.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Productivity

If the robot moves along a cutting path defined based on implant coordinate system, then automated surgery is enabled, but kinematic problems occur when relative location and pose change

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesurgical efficiencyVSAvoidsurgery delay
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system generates an operable area map before surgery that identifies all positions and orientations where kinematic problems might occur. This preliminary analysis allows the surgical team to plan alternative paths in advance, avoiding delays during the actual procedure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically adjusts the cutting path and robot trajectory in real-time based on actual patient position and the pre-generated operable area map. This dynamic adaptation allows the robot to maintain automated operation while avoiding kinematic singularities and problematic areas.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Reliability

If test positions are simulated to identify operable area, then kinematic problems are prevented, but additional simulation and processing time is required

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvekinematic solution stabilityVSAvoidsimulation processing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system simulates movements at discrete test positions along the cutting path rather than continuously throughout the entire operable space. This partial sampling approach identifies critical kinematic problems with sufficient accuracy while minimizing simulation time and computational resources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The simulation of test positions and generation of the operable area map is performed before surgery during the planning phase. Although this requires upfront computational time, it enables fully automated surgery without real-time intervention, ultimately improving surgical efficiency and reducing overall time loss.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP4635441A1Apparatus for generating operable area of surgical robot and method thereof
Publication Date: 2025.10.22 CUREXO
  • EP4635441A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4635441A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4635441A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Disclosed are an apparatus and method for generating an operable area of a surgical robot, the method of generating the operable area according to the disclosure including the steps of setting virtual locations of an affected area and a surgical robot and a distance between the affected area and the surgical robot; determining the location, shape, size of an operable area based on the virtual locations and the distance; determining a plurality of test positions for simulating movement of an end effector of a surgical robot in an interior or on a surface of the operable area; simulating the movement of the end effector according to a previously planned cutting path of the surgical robot, for each test position; and generating a final operable area based on simulation results at the plurality of test positions. With this, an operable area where no problem occurs in deriving a kinematic solution of a surgical robot is identified before surgery, thereby effectively preventing interruption or delay in a surgical procedure.