Surgical Tool Authorization via Cloud Status Lists
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic surgical systems lack effective mechanisms to authenticate and authorize surgical tools, leading to potential use of unauthorized, cloned, or expired tools, which can compromise surgical safety and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method and system that uses key pair authentication and a status list to verify the identity and authorization of surgical tools, preventing unauthorized tools from being used by decrypting authentication messages and comparing tool data against a blacklist or whitelist, ensuring only approved tools are enabled for surgical operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If no authentication mechanism is implemented, then the system is simple and easy to operate, but unauthorized or cloned surgical tools can be used compromising surgical safety
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs authentication checks before allowing surgical tools to be used. The computing device stores authentication credentials (first credentials) and verifies them against credentials presented by the surgical tool (second credentials) prior to enabling operation, preventing unauthorized tools from being used in the first place
Solution Approach 2:
The computing device acts as an intermediary between the surgical tool and the robotic arm. It receives credentials from the tool, performs verification against stored credentials, and only allows the tool to operate if authentication succeeds, thus mediating the interaction to ensure safety
2Reliability
If authentication verification is performed for each tool, then tool authorization is ensured, but the surgical process time increases due to verification steps
Solution Approach 1:
Authentication credentials are verified before the surgical tool is activated. By performing the credential verification in advance during tool attachment or system initialization, the system ensures authorization is confirmed before the actual surgical work begins, minimizing time loss during critical procedures
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical tool automatically presents its credentials for verification when attached to the robotic arm. The computing device autonomously performs the authentication check without requiring manual intervention from surgeons or operators, reducing the time burden on human users
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for authenticating surgical tools for use in a surgical operation by a robotic surgical system are described herein. The authentication systems and methods include status lists for surgical tools associated with surgical systems. The status lists indicate an allowed or disallowed status of each surgical tool. The status list is stored on a cloud-computing system and shared with various surgical systems at different geographic locations. Prior to performing a surgical operation or at other times, the surgical systems decrypt tool data received from a surgical tool to access identifying information and access a tool status from the status list based on the tool data. The surgical systems then proceed based on the status of the surgical tool in the status list.