VR Surgical Control Boundary Constraint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing minimally invasive medical procedures and training simulations using virtual reality display systems lack effective constraints to ensure safe and reliable operation, particularly in immersive environments where head movements can lead to unintended instrument control or loss of focus on the surgical site.
Innovation Solution
The system implements a method to detect head movements and maintain a boundary for the user's field of view, allowing for immersive display adjustments while preventing instrument movement outside the viewable area, and introduces modes like virtual explore and imaging control to manage user interactions, ensuring safe operation by locking instruments or displaying ghost images when boundaries are exceeded.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If head-mounted display systems are used to provide immersive augmented-reality or virtual reality experience, then the user experience and immersion are improved, but the risk of unintended instrument control or loss of focus on the surgical site increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors head position and provides feedback through visual boundaries displayed in the field of view. When the user approaches the boundary, the system alerts them through visual cues, allowing them to adjust their position before unintended instrument control occurs. This closed-loop feedback mechanism maintains both immersion and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
A virtual boundary acts as an intermediary between the user's head movements and the instrument control system. The boundary constrains the mapping between head position and instrument position, preventing the user from accidentally controlling instruments when looking outside the surgical site while still allowing full immersion within the defined workspace.
2Reliability
If the field of view boundary is enforced to prevent unintended instrument control, then safety is improved, but the user's ability to explore the virtual environment freely is restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The boundary is not a fixed constraint but a dynamic guide that adapts to the surgical context. The boundary can be adjusted based on the surgical procedure, instrument workspace, and patient anatomy, allowing users to explore appropriate regions while maintaining safety. The system dynamically updates the boundary based on real-time surgical conditions.
3Ease of operation
If head movement is allowed for natural viewing, then ease of operation is improved, but unintended instrument movement outside the surgical site may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system preemptively prevents unintended instrument movement by establishing a virtual boundary before the user can accidentally move instruments outside the surgical site. When the user's head approaches the boundary, the system alerts them in advance, allowing them to correct their position before any harmful instrument movement occurs.
Data Source
AI summary
A method of operating a surgical control system is provided. The method comprises displaying, on a display system, an image of a surgical environment. The display system is configured to move with a head of a user. The method further comprises detecting a manipulator input motion and determining if the manipulator input motion is within a boundary corresponding to a range of motion of a manipulator. The manipulator is coupled to a medical instrument and is configured to control motion of the medical instrument. The method further comprises enabling a virtual manipulator mode if the manipulator input motion exceeds the boundary.