Surgery assisting apparatus, method of controlling the same, storage medium, and surgery assisting system
Inventors
Ando, Takehiro • Miyamoto, Hiroyuki • Awano, Keita • Sugiura, Yoshihide
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11406460-B2
Publication Date
2022-08-09
Expiration Date
Abstract
A surgery assisting apparatus for controlling a posture of a first surgical tool to be inserted into a body cavity and mechanically driven, by using a second surgical tool to be inserted into the body cavity, comprises: a mode switch configured to switch a first mode and a second mode, the second surgical tool being used to control the first surgical tool in the second mode; one or more sensors configured to measure an angle and depth of insertion of a shaft of the second surgical tool into the body cavity; and at least one memory and at least one processor which function as a computing unit configured to determine a target position of a control point that is a point for specifying the posture of the first surgical tool in order to control the posture of the first surgical tool.
Core Innovation
The disclosure relates to a surgery assisting apparatus and a surgery assisting system that includes a controller, a measurement device, and a switch. A first surgical tool is inserted into a body cavity and is driven mechanically, while a second surgical tool is inserted into the body cavity and is operated directly by an operator. The switch alternates between using the second surgical tool as a treatment tool to perform a medical treatment and using the second surgical tool as a guide tool to guide the posture of the first surgical tool controlled by the controller.
A position/posture measurement device measures an insertion angle and an insertion depth of a shaft of the second surgical tool. When the switch is switched to the guide mode, the controller determines a target position of a control point for posture specification of the first surgical tool according to changes in the measured insertion angle and insertion depth from the start of the guide mode. The control suppresses drift and measurement error by using relative motion and by calibrating coordinate systems between an inertia sensor and the robot, including defining a virtual rotation/control reference point.
The disclosure further describes position control and posture control with a fixed point/joint constraint for controlling at least part of the first surgical tool. It also explains calibration using contact points and an imaging/optical-axis intuitive manipulation concept using virtual rods and fixed/control points. An imaging device and camera coordinate system are used in relation to the virtual rods and fixed/control points for posture specification and intuitive manipulation.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover a surgery assisting apparatus, corresponding methods of controlling a mechanically driven surgical tool, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media. Across the independent claims, the main inventive features include mode-switching between treatment and guide operation, measurement of posture change of an operator-operated tool, and controlling a posture or movable portion of a mechanically driven tool based on the measured posture change, with joint/fixed-point constraints in specific cases.
Mode-switching guide control using measured posture change
The controller controls the posture of at least part of the first surgical tool according to the amount of change measured by the measurement device when the switch is switched to the second mode, in which the second surgical tool is used as a guide tool to guide the posture of the first surgical tool controlled by the controller.
Posture control of a movable portion while keeping a joint portion unchanged
The controller performs a first control of controlling a posture of the movable portion according to the amount of change measured by the measurement device, while keeping a position of the joint portion unchanged.
Controlling based on measured posture change with insertion posture parameters
In the second mode, controlling, by at least one processor, a posture of at least part of the first surgical tool according to the measured amount of change in the posture of the second surgical tool, where the measuring includes determining an angle and depth of insertion of a shaft of the second surgical tool into the body cavity.
Movable/distal portion posture control with joint fixed constraint
Controlling, by at least one processor, a posture of the movable portion of the first surgical tool according to the measured amount of change in the posture of the second surgical tool, while keeping a position of the joint portion of the first surgical tool unchanged.
Programmed guidance and control via non-transitory storage medium
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program that causes a surgery assisting apparatus to measure a position of and an amount of change in a posture of a second surgical tool, switch between a treatment tool mode and a guide tool mode, and in the second mode control a posture of at least part of the first surgical tool according to the measured amount of change in the posture of the second surgical tool.
Non-transitory storage medium for movable portion control with joint unchanged
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that stores a program that causes a surgery assisting apparatus to measure a position of and an amount of change in a posture of a second surgical tool and to control a posture of the movable portion of the first surgical tool according to the measured amount of change in the posture of the second surgical tool, while keeping a position of the joint portion of the first surgical tool unchanged.
Across the independent claims, the coverage centers on switching a second, operator-operated surgical tool between treatment and guide usage, measuring its posture change, and using that measured change to control the posture of a mechanically driven first surgical tool in guide mode. Additional independent-claim scope includes controlling a movable portion while keeping a joint portion unchanged, and providing the functionality via methods and non-transitory computer-readable storage media.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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