Wireless Handpiece Triggering for Cable-Free Surgical Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional surgical systems using foot pedals for controlling surgical hardware components are not visibly accessible to surgeons, leading to potential errors and accidents, and altering the system to enable hand-based control is cumbersome and time-consuming.

Innovation Solution

A wireless actuator system with a control processor that communicates via wireless signals to control surgical components, allowing hand-based operation without requiring hardware or software changes, using actuators like momentary push buttons, linear potentiometers, or pressure sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a foot pedal is used to control surgical hardware components, then the surgeon can activate and deactivate components, but the foot pedal is not clearly visible to the surgeon and may cause wrong button pressing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol operationVSAvoidvisibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical foot pedal system with a wireless actuator system that uses wireless communication signals to control surgical components. This substitution eliminates the visibility problem of foot pedals while maintaining control functionality, as the wireless actuator can be positioned within the surgeon's field of view and provides visual feedback through LEDs or displays.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a wireless actuator as an intermediary device between the surgeon and the surgical system. This intermediary communicates wirelessly with the surgical system, allowing the surgeon to control components without direct physical connection, thereby improving visibility and reducing the risk of accidental activation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If cables connect the foot pedal to the surgical system, then control signals can be transmitted, but the cables may cause the surgeon to trip and fall resulting in physical injuries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontrol signal transmissionVSAvoidphysical injury risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the cable-based mechanical connection with a wireless communication system. The wireless actuator transmits control signals through wireless communication protocols, eliminating physical cables from the surgical environment and thereby removing the tripping hazard while maintaining reliable signal transmission.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Ease of operation

If conventional systems are altered to implement hand-based control functionalities, then hand-based control can be achieved, but hardware and software reconfiguration is required which significantly delays implementation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvehand-based controlVSAvoidimplementation time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs a disposable wireless actuator that does not require integration into the permanent surgical system infrastructure. This disposable approach allows hand-based control to be implemented without modifying the existing surgical system's hardware or software architecture, thereby eliminating the time-consuming reconfiguration process while maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The wireless actuator is designed as a universal control device that can interface with multiple surgical systems through wireless communication. This multi-functionality allows hand-based control to be implemented across different surgical platforms without requiring system-specific reconfiguration, significantly reducing implementation time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250345136A1Handpiece triggering device

Publication Date: 2025.11.13 SMITH & NEPHEW INC

AI summary

A system and a method for controlling a surgical system. The system includes a wireless actuator, which upon actuation, is configured to generate and transmit one or more actuation instructions. The system further includes a control processor communicatively coupled to the wireless actuator, where the control processor is configured to receive one or more actuation instructions from the wireless actuator, generate, using one or more actuation instructions, one or more communication instructions for triggering actuation of at least one operation of one or more surgical components of a surgical system communicatively coupled to the control processor, and transmit, via an antenna communicatively coupled to the control processor, one or more communication instructions to the surgical system.