Robotic Surgical Tool Orientation Control Under Force Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robotic surgical systems face challenges in maintaining the optimal orientation of surgical tools during autonomous movement, which can lead to inefficiencies and potential contact with obstacles at the surgical site, especially when operating in semi-autonomous modes without direct operator control.
Innovation Solution
A robotic system that includes a manipulator, a path generator, and an orientation generator, which determine and maintain the surgical tool's path and orientation autonomously, using sensors to adjust and ensure the tool moves along a predetermined path in acceptable orientations, avoiding obstacles and optimizing cutting efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the surgical tool moves autonomously along a predetermined path, then positioning accuracy and surgical precision are improved, but the ability to manually re-orient the tool to avoid obstacles is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs force sensors to detect forces applied to the surgical tool during autonomous movement. When forces exceeding a threshold are detected, the system identifies an altered orientation and compares it to acceptable orientations, enabling the tool to respond to unexpected conditions while maintaining autonomous operation. This feedback mechanism resolves the contradiction by providing automatic adaptation capability that replaces manual re-orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The surgical tool system performs self-monitoring and self-adjustment through force sensing and automatic orientation correction. The manipulator controller autonomously detects forces, identifies altered orientations, and instructs movement adjustments without requiring manual intervention, enabling the system to serve itself in avoiding obstacles while maintaining precise autonomous positioning.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the surgical tool is freely re-oriented at the surgical site, then adaptability to avoid obstacles is improved, but positioning accuracy and control precision deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The force sensing system provides continuous feedback during autonomous movement, detecting when the tool encounters obstacles or requires orientation adjustment. This feedback enables selective re-orientation only when necessary, maintaining high positioning accuracy while providing adaptability when forces indicate obstacle avoidance is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes operational parameters by switching between autonomous movement mode and force-responsive orientation adjustment mode. When forces are within normal ranges, the tool maintains precise autonomous positioning. When forces exceed thresholds, the system allows orientation parameter changes to avoid obstacles, resolving the contradiction between precision and adaptability.
3Reliability
If force sensing and orientation monitoring are added to the autonomous system, then safety and obstacle avoidance are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The force sensors serve multiple functions: detecting obstacles, identifying altered orientations, and triggering orientation correction protocols. This multi-functionality improves surgical safety without proportionally increasing system complexity, as a single sensing component performs multiple safety-critical tasks.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex manual monitoring and adjustment mechanisms with automated force sensing and electronic orientation control. This substitution reduces the need for multiple separate safety systems while improving reliability through integrated sensing and control algorithms.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system and a method of controlling a surgical tool of a robotic system during autonomous movement of the surgical tool are provided. A path of movement for the surgical tool is determined. At least one acceptable orientation of the surgical tool with respect to the path is generated. The surgical tool autonomously moves along the path in the at least one acceptable orientation. Forces applied to the surgical tool are sensed. An altered orientation is identified based on the sensed forces. The surgical tool autonomously moves along the path in response to comparing the altered orientation to the at least one acceptable orientation.