Surgical Tool Coupler With Visible Tracker for Sterile Pose Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic surgical systems face errors in tracking the pose of surgical tools relative to the surgical site due to trackers being outside the field-of-view of the localizer, which can occur when optical localization methods are employed.
Innovation Solution
A coupler is introduced that connects the tool to the robotic manipulator, featuring a tracker to be detected by the localizer and a drape to create a sterile field barrier, ensuring accurate tracking while maintaining sterility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical localization methods are employed with trackers placed on the manipulator, then the pose of the tool can be tracked, but errors occur when trackers are blocked from view of the localizer
Solution Approach 1:
A sterile adapter is introduced as an intermediary component between the non-sterile manipulator and the sterile tool. The adapter includes a tracker that serves as a mediator for optical tracking, allowing the localizer to accurately determine the pose of the tool without being blocked by the drape. This intermediary tracker on the adapter provides a reliable tracking reference point that is visible to the localizer while maintaining the sterile barrier.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a drape is placed over the manipulator to create a sterile field, then sterility is maintained, but trackers on the manipulator are blocked from view
Solution Approach 1:
The sterile adapter acts as an intermediary that bridges the sterile and non-sterile environments. By placing the tracker on the adapter rather than directly on the manipulator, the system maintains the sterile barrier with the drape while ensuring the tracker remains visible to the localizer. The adapter's tracker provides accurate pose information without compromising sterility.
Solution Approach 2:
The solution moves the tracker from the manipulator (blocked dimension) to the adapter (visible dimension). By relocating the tracking element to a position on the sterile adapter that is not obscured by the drape, the system achieves tracking accuracy while maintaining the sterile field configuration.
3Measurement precision
If a coupler is introduced to connect the tool to the manipulator with a tracker, then tracking accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sterile adapter serves multiple functions: it creates a sterile barrier between the manipulator and tool, provides a mounting interface for the tracker, and facilitates the connection between components. By combining these functions into a single universal component, the system achieves accurate tracking without proportionally increasing complexity.
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 coupler maintains accurate tracking of the tool's pose by using a tracker visible to the localizer, reducing errors and ensuring a sterile environment during surgical procedures.
Implementation Method 1
optical localization methods are employed
Data Source
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AI summary
A robotic surgical system includes a tool and a robotic manipulator including a plurality of links and a plurality of joints. The manipulator supports the tool for movement relative to a surgical site. A coupler interconnects the tool and the manipulator. The coupler includes a first coupling interface connectable to a distal link of the manipulator and a second coupling interface connectable to the tool. The coupler also includes a tracker to be detected by the localizer to determine a pose of the tool. The coupler is configured to cooperate with a drape to create a sterile field barrier between the tool and the robotic manipulator.