Cooperative Surgical Tool Control with Haptic and Audio Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surgical tools for retinal microsurgery lack effective control methods to prevent excessive force application on delicate ocular tissues, leading to complications such as retinal damage and vision loss, due to reliance on visual cues and human sensory limitations.
Innovation Solution
A cooperative control system for surgical tools that combines force sensing with haptic and audio feedback, using a tool holder, force sensor, controller, and audio device to limit robot velocity and provide multi-level audio cues based on detected forces, aiding surgeons in maintaining precise control during microsurgical procedures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If visual cues alone are used to monitor force application, then the surgical system remains simple, but excessive force is applied to retinal tissue causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements force sensors that continuously measure tool-tissue forces and provide real-time feedback to the control system. This feedback loop enables the robot to adjust its motion in response to detected forces, preventing excessive force application while maintaining surgical safety. The feedback mechanism transforms the unreliable visual-only monitoring into a reliable force-controlled system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the surgeon's manual force sensing and control with an automated robotic system equipped with force sensors. The robot's control system processes force measurements and automatically adjusts tool motion, substituting human sensory limitations and manual control with automated mechanical sensing and control mechanisms.
2Manufacturing precision
If the surgeon manually controls the tool without robotic assistance, then the system is simple to operate, but hand tremor and fatigue reduce surgical precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges manual surgical control with robotic assistance in a cooperative control system. The surgeon maintains direct control of the tool while the robot provides stabilizing support, tremor filtering, and force control. This combination preserves the surgeon's decision-making authority while eliminating physiological limitations, achieving both precision and ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The robotic system provides self-stabilization by automatically detecting and compensating for hand tremor and fatigue. The force sensors and control algorithms enable the robot to self-adjust its support level based on detected forces, providing precision enhancement without requiring complex manual coordination from the surgeon.
3Measurement precision
If force sensors are integrated into the tool shaft, then tool-to-retina forces can be measured accurately, but interference from tool-sclera forces increases measurement complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the force measurement task by placing force sensors at specific locations along the tool shaft, distal to the sclera insertion point. This spatial segmentation allows the system to measure tool-tissue forces separately from tool-sclera forces, enabling accurate retinal force measurement while isolating interference sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary computational model that distinguishes between tool-sclera forces and tool-tissue forces based on sensor measurements. This intermediary processing layer separates the mixed force signals, allowing accurate extraction of retinal tissue forces despite the presence of scleral interaction forces.
4Reliability
If the surgeon reacts to visual cues by retracting and re-grasping the tissue, then excessive force is avoided, but the peeling process is interrupted and task completion time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary force control by continuously monitoring tool-tissue forces and preemptively adjusting robot motion before excessive force can be applied. This preliminary action prevents the need for reactive retraction and re-grasping, maintaining continuous peeling while avoiding retinal damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous peeling by maintaining constant force control throughout the surgical procedure. The robotic system continuously adjusts its motion to keep forces within safe limits, eliminating interruptions and maintaining productive continuous action throughout the task.
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
The system significantly reduces excessive force application and improves task completion time by providing real-time, intuitive feedback, enhancing the precision and safety of retinal microsurgical procedures, particularly in vitreoretinal surgery.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor for detecting a force based on operator input and/or tool tip forces
Implementation Method 2
a controller for limiting robot velocity based upon the force detected between the surgical tool and the tissue so as to provide a haptic feedback
Implementation Method 3
an audio device for providing the audio feedback together with the haptic feedback
Data Source
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Figure 6A~6D
AI summary
A system and method for cooperative control of surgical tool includes a tool holder for receiving a surgical tool adapted to be held by a robot and a surgeon, a sensor for detecting a force based on operator input and/or tool tip forces, a controller for limiting robot velocity based upon the force detected so as to provide a haptic feedback, a selector for automatically selecting one level of a multi-level audio feedback based upon the detected force applied, the audio feedback representing the relative intensity of the force applied, and an audio device for providing the audio feedback together with the haptic feedback. The audio feedback provides additional information to the surgeon that allows lower forces to be applied during the operation.