Remote presence system mounted to operating room hardware
Inventors
Wang, Yulun • Jordan, Charles S. • Pinter, Marco • Sanchez, Daniel Steven • Hanrahan, Kevin
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-10875182-B2
Publication Date
2020-12-29
Expiration Date
Abstract
A robot system that includes a remote station and a robot face. The robot face includes a camera that is coupled to a monitor of the remote station and a monitor that is coupled to a camera of the remote station. The robot face and remote station also have speakers and microphones that are coupled together. The robot face may be coupled to a boom. The boom can extend from the ceiling of a medical facility. Alternatively, the robot face may be attached to a medical table with an attachment mechanism. The robot face and remote station allows medical personnel to provide medical consultation through the system.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a tele-presence system for remote medical consultation using a robot face at a first location and a remote station at a second location remote from the first location. A boom is attached to a fixed structure at the first location and includes first and second articulate joints, and a robot face is coupled to the boom via third and fourth joints having first and second actuators. The first and second actuators are remotely actuated to pan and tilt the robot face relative to the boom, while a robot camera and a robot monitor are mechanically coupled such that they move together relative to the boom.
The robot face includes a robot monitor, a robot camera, a robot speaker, and a robot microphone, and the robot camera captures a patient image. The patient image is transmitted from the robot camera to a station monitor of the remote station and displayed on the station monitor. The remote station includes a station camera that captures a user image, and the user image is transmitted to the robot monitor and displayed by the robot monitor.
Bidirectional audio communication is established by a station speaker reproducing sound received by the robot microphone and by a station microphone transmitting an audio command to the robot speaker. The system is implemented with network coupling between the robot face and the remote station, and includes remote station control via an input device for remotely actuating the actuators. The document further describes an interface at the remote station that displays robot and station video and includes session management, audio level, and image controls for capturing, transferring, and annotating images.
Claims Coverage
This patent document provides two independent claims, a system claim and a method claim. Across these independent claims, the inventive features center on a boom-mounted, remotely pan-and-tilt robot face with mechanically coupled robot camera and robot monitor, bidirectional patient/user image display via a station monitor and robot monitor, and bidirectional audio where audio command is transmitted from a station microphone to a robot speaker.
Boom with articulate joints and remote pan and tilt actuators
A boom including first and second articulate joints attached to a fixed structure at a first location; a robot face coupled to the boom via third and fourth joints having first and second actuators that are remotely actuated to pan and tilt the robot face relative to the boom.
Mechanically coupled robot camera and robot monitor capturing a patient image
A robot face including a robot monitor, a robot camera, a robot speaker, and a robot microphone, with the robot camera and the robot monitor mechanically coupled such that they move together relative to the boom, and the robot camera capturing a patient image.
Remote station receiving patient image and transmitting user image
A remote station located at a second location remote from the first location, coupled to the robot face via a network to receive the patient image, control the first and second actuators via an input device, and include a station monitor that displays the patient image, plus a station camera that captures a user image transmitted to the robot and displayed by the robot monitor.
Bidirectional audio with station microphone to robot speaker
A station speaker that reproduces sound received by the robot microphone, and a station microphone that receives sound that is reproduced by the robot speaker, including transmitting an audio command from a station microphone to a robot speaker.
Remote medical consultation method with image display on both monitors
Controlling movement of a robot face coupled to a boom having first and second articulate joints and attached to a fixed structure at a first location from a remote station at a second location remote from the first location; capturing a patient image; transmitting the patient image from the robot camera to a station monitor and displaying it on the station monitor; capturing a user image and transmitting it from the station camera to the robot monitor; displaying the user image on the robot monitor.
The independent claims collectively cover a remote medical tele-presence architecture where a boom-mounted robot face with remotely actuated pan and tilt captures a patient image with a camera mechanically coupled to a monitor, transmits the patient image to a station monitor, captures a user image with a station camera and displays it on the robot monitor, and supports audio communication including transmitting an audio command from a station microphone to a robot speaker.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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