Surgical Robot Teleoperation Mode Switching by Intent Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Surgical robotic systems lack a simple and safe method for engaging and disengaging teleoperation mode, which can lead to unintentional tool movements and increased complexity for users.
Innovation Solution
A surgical robotic system that detects intentional user actions through a sequence of inputs from user interface devices, such as tapping or squeezing, to automatically engage or disengage the teleoperation mode, using a combination of handheld and foot pedals, and provides user feedback for mode transitions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If safety requirements are added to prevent unintentional operations, then reliability improves, but device complexity increases and ease of operation deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of user intent through monitoring sequences of inputs before executing mode transitions. By detecting patterns of intentional actions in advance, the system ensures safety without requiring complex safety checks during operation, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and complexity
2Reliability
If multiple safety checks are implemented, then reliability improves, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficulty in remembering and following procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically monitors and analyzes sequences of user inputs to detect intentional actions without requiring the user to manually perform safety checks or remember complex procedures. This self-monitoring approach maintains high reliability while preserving ease of operation, as the system handles safety verification autonomously
3Ease of operation
If a simple engagement method is used, then ease of operation improves, but reliability deteriorates due to risk of unintentional tool movement
Solution Approach 1:
Before executing the simple engagement action, the system performs preliminary detection by monitoring whether the sequence of inputs indicates intentional engagement. This preliminary check ensures reliability while maintaining the simplicity of the final engagement gesture, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and safety
Data Source
AI summary
A method for engaging and disengaging a surgical instrument of a surgical robotic system including receiving a sequence of user inputs from one or more user interface devices of the surgical robotic system; determining, by one or more processors communicatively coupled to the user interface devices and the surgical instrument, whether the sequence of user inputs indicates an intentional engagement or disengagement of a teleoperation mode in which the surgical instrument is controlled by user inputs received from the user interface devices; in response to determining of engagement, transition the surgical robotic system into the teleoperation mode; and in response to determining of disengagement, transition the surgical robotic system out of the teleoperation mode such that the user interface devices are prevented from controlling the surgical instrument.