Tactile Presentation Apparatus Vibration Isolation for Surgical Force Sensors
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Solution Overview
Problem
In master-slave surgical systems, vibrations from tactile presentation apparatuses can interfere with force sensors, causing noise and potentially damaging tissues due to lack of tactile feedback for operators during endoscopic surgeries.
Innovation Solution
A tactile presentation apparatus with a vibration unit that transmits vibrations to the user through a contact unit via an elastic body, reducing noise transmission to the force sensor by using a signal processor to remove vibration noise from the force sensor's measurements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a vibration unit is mounted directly on the master apparatus to provide tactile feedback, then tactile feedback to the operator is improved, but vibration noise is transmitted to the force sensor causing measurement errors
Solution Approach 1:
The master apparatus is divided into separate functional modules: the vibration unit is isolated from the force sensor through independent mounting structures and elastic bodies. This segmentation allows tactile feedback generation without direct mechanical coupling to the sensing elements, preventing vibration noise transmission while maintaining measurement accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
Elastic bodies serve as intermediary elements between the vibration unit and the master apparatus structure. These elastic bodies absorb and isolate vibrations, acting as a mechanical buffer that prevents direct transmission of vibration noise to the force sensor while still allowing the vibration unit to provide tactile feedback to the operator.
2Reliability
If vibration is transmitted directly to the operator for tactile feedback, then operator awareness of surgical instrument contact is improved, but control stability of the master-slave system deteriorates due to vibration noise
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic bodies act as intermediary elements that decouple the vibration unit from the control system structure. This intermediary arrangement allows tactile feedback to reach the operator while preventing vibration-induced instability in the control system, maintaining both operator awareness and control stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful vibration noise is extracted and isolated from the control system through separate mounting and elastic isolation. The vibration unit operates independently without directly coupling to the force sensor and control mechanisms, thereby maintaining control stability while still providing necessary tactile feedback.
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
Effectively reduces noise transmission to the force sensor, enhancing tactile feedback for operators and preventing tissue damage during surgeries.
Implementation Method 1
an installation unit coupled to the operation unit, over the contact unit provided via an elastic body
Data Source
AI summary
A tactile presentation apparatus including: an operation unit operated by a user; a vibration unit that presents a vibration of an operation target of the operation unit; a contact unit that transmits the vibration by the vibration unit to the user; and an installation unit coupled to the operation unit, over the contact unit provided via an elastic body.