Telerobotic Haptic Device Linkage and Cable Drive
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current haptic devices for telerobotic surgery lack the necessary low inertia and high bandwidth to effectively provide precise tactile feedback, particularly in microsurgical procedures where subtle haptic cues are critical, leading to potential complications due to delayed response times.
Innovation Solution
A haptic device with a linkage system, motor configuration, and cable drive transmission designed to minimize inertia and maximize bandwidth, featuring a base, linkage members, low-inertia motors, and a compact pulley system to provide six degrees of freedom and simulate the feel of light surgical tools with high-resolution encoders for precise feedback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional cable and pulley transmissions are used, then haptic feedback is provided, but the device has high inertia and low bandwidth
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional cable and pulley mechanical transmissions with a direct-drive motor system. The haptic device uses motors that directly actuate the surgical tools without intermediate mechanical transmission elements, eliminating the inertia and friction associated with cables and pulleys while maintaining haptic feedback capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts and removes the cable and pulley transmission components from the haptic device system. By taking out these mechanical transmission elements, the device achieves lower effective inertia and higher bandwidth while still providing necessary haptic feedback through direct motor control.
2Speed
If high bandwidth haptics are implemented, then response time is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the haptic device into modular components with dedicated functions. Each degree of freedom is independently controlled by separate motors, allowing high bandwidth operation for each axis while maintaining overall system manageability through modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal motor control architecture that handles multiple degrees of freedom through a standardized motor configuration. This multi-functional approach allows the same motor type and control methodology to be applied across all axes, reducing complexity despite high bandwidth requirements.
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 haptic device achieves low effective inertia and high bandwidth, enabling timely and accurate tactile feedback, reducing the risk of complications during microsurgical procedures and expanding its applicability to various robotic surgeries and simulations.
Implementation Method 1
Haptic devices have historically included cable and pulley transmissions
Data Source
AI summary
A haptic device for telerobotic surgery, including a base; a linkage system having first and second linkage members coupled to the base; a motor that provides a motor force; a transmission including first and second driving pulleys arranged such that their faces form an angle and their axes form a plane, first and second idler pulleys offset from the plane and arranged between the first and second driving pulleys such that their axes divide the angle between the first and second driving pulleys, and a cable that traverses the first and second driving pulleys and the set of idler pulleys and transfers the motor force to the linkage system; an end effector coupled to distal ends of the first and second linkage members and maneuverable relative to the base; and a controller that modulates the motor force to simulate a body part at a point portion of the end effector.