Co-manipulation surgical system having an instrument centering mode for automatic scope movements
Inventors
YE, Menglong • Basafa, Ehsan • Ummalaneni, Ritwik • Noonan, David Paul
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-11844583-B2
Publication Date
2023-12-19
Expiration Date
Abstract
Co-manipulation robotic systems are described herein that may be used for assisting with laparoscopic surgical procedures. The co-manipulation robotic systems allow a surgeon to use commercially-available surgical tools while providing benefits associated with surgical robotics. Advantageously, the surgical tools may be seamlessly coupled to the robot arms using a disposable coupler while the reusable portions of the robot arm remain in a sterile drape. Further, the co-manipulation robotic system may operate in multiple modes to enhance usability and safety, while allowing the surgeon to position the instrument directly with the instrument handle and further maintain the desired position of the instrument using the robot arm.
Core Innovation
The invention provides a co-manipulation surgical system for laparoscopic surgery in which a controller permits a robot arm to be freely moveable responsive to movement at the handle of a surgical instrument. The robot arm includes a proximal end, a distal end configured to be removably coupled to the surgical instrument, a plurality of links, and a plurality of joints. The controller is programmed to permit passive responsiveness while the laparoscopic procedure is ongoing, and to maintain a static position in a passive mode when determining that movement of the robot arm due to movement at the handle of the surgical instrument is less than a predetermined amount for at least a predetermined dwell time period.
When the surgical instrument comprises a laparoscope having a field of view, the controller identifies a target surgical instrument within the field of view based on image data from the laparoscope. After identifying the target surgical instrument, the controller causes the robot arm to switch to an instrument centering mode in which the robot arm moves the laparoscope to maintain the target surgical instrument within the field of view. The described system also includes feature registration into global coordinates and optimization to determine robot arm workspace.
Depth/proximity optical sensing generates a graphical user interface virtual map to guide collision avoidance during platform motion, and the platform is described as module-based components including processors, memory, communications, a user interface, and power with braking and UPS, supporting an operation-ready configuration for multi-mode control. Multi-mode operation is described using impedance control with passive mode determination, co-manipulation mode determination, haptic mode determination, and robotic assist mode determination. Mode switching uses threshold-based criteria such as dwell distance/velocity, breakaway force, and virtual haptic boundaries, and robotic assist includes instrument centering using laparoscope image segmentation, including deep learning, with boundary-region tracking, zoom/resolution control, and trajectory generation guided by learning from surgeon preferences.
Claims Coverage
The document contains independent claims for a system and a method. Across these claims, the central inventive features include a co-manipulation robot arm responsive to handle movement, passive static maintenance using a predetermined amount and dwell time, target identification from laparoscope image data within the field of view, and switching to an instrument centering mode that moves the laparoscope to maintain the target within the field of view.
Handle-responsive co-manipulation robot arm for laparoscopic surgery
The co-manipulation surgical system includes a robot arm removably coupled to a surgical instrument and a controller configured to permit the robot arm to be freely moveable responsive to movement at the handle of the surgical instrument for performing laparoscopic surgery.
Passive static position based on predetermined movement and dwell time
The controller is programmed to cause the robot arm to maintain a static position in a passive mode responsive to determining that movement of the robot arm due to movement at the handle of the surgical instrument is less than a predetermined amount for at least a predetermined dwell time period.
Target identification within laparoscope field of view using laparoscope image data
When the surgical instrument comprises a laparoscope having a field of view, the controller identifies a target surgical instrument within the field of view based on image data from the laparoscope.
Instrument centering mode that moves the laparoscope to maintain target in field of view
The controller causes the robot arm to switch to an instrument centering mode where the robot arm moves the laparoscope to maintain the target surgical instrument within the field of view of the laparoscope.
Method of permitting handle-responsive robot arm movement
The method provides a robot arm including a proximal end, a distal end configured to be removably coupled to a laparoscope, a plurality of links, and a plurality of joints between the proximal end and the distal end, and permits via a controller operatively coupled to the robot arm the robot arm to be freely moveable responsive to movement at the handle of the laparoscope for performing laparoscopic surgery.
Automatically maintaining static passive mode based on predetermined movement and dwell time
The method automatically causes via the controller the robot arm to maintain a static position in a passive mode responsive to determining that movement of the robot arm due to movement at the handle of the laparoscope is less than a predetermined amount for at least a predetermined dwell time period.
Identifying the target surgical instrument using laparoscope image data
The method identifies via the controller a target surgical instrument within a field of view of the laparoscope based on image data from the laparoscope.
Switching to instrument centering mode and moving laparoscope to maintain target in field of view
The method switches via the controller the robot arm to an instrument centering mode and automatically causes via the controller while in the instrument centering mode the robot arm to move the laparoscope to maintain the target surgical instrument within the field of view.
Across the independent claims, the invention covers a co-manipulation laparoscopic surgical system and a corresponding assistance method that allow free handle-responsive motion of a robot arm, switch to static passive maintenance when handle-induced motion remains below a predetermined amount for a dwell time, identify a target surgical instrument within the laparoscope field of view from laparoscope image data, and switch to an instrument centering mode that moves the laparoscope to keep the target within the field of view.
Stated Advantages
Maintain the target surgical instrument within the field of view of the laparoscope.
Automatically switch from passive static positioning to instrument centering based on handle-induced robot-arm movement.
Allow co-manipulation by permitting the robot arm to be freely moveable responsive to movement at the handle of the surgical instrument.
Documented Applications
Assisting with laparoscopic surgery using a co-manipulation surgical system with a laparoscope that identifies a target surgical instrument and centers it within the laparoscope field of view.
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