Determining relative robot base positions using externally positioned imagers
Inventors
Hufford, Kevin Andrew • Campisano, Federico • ALPERT, Lior
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12193772-B2
Publication Date
2025-01-14
Expiration Date
Abstract
A system for determining relative positions of subsystems of a robot-assisted surgical system includes a subsystem component including a plurality of manipulator arms and a surgeon console. Each subsystem component includes at least one of an optical tracker and a light emitter. Image data from the optical trackers is analyzed to determine the relative positions of the subsystems.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a method of determining relative positions of robotic manipulators in an operating room. A first robotic manipulator is positioned in the operating room, the first robotic manipulator having a plurality of first emitters and at least one first tracker positioned thereon. A second robotic manipulator is positioned in the operating room, the second robotic manipulator having a plurality of second emitters and at least one second tracker positioned thereon.
A third tracker is positioned at a fixed location in the operating room. The first robotic manipulator and the second robotic manipulator are independently positionable relative to each other and relative to the at least one third tracker, while the fixed location provides an external reference. The method includes capturing an image of a first one of the first emitters using the at least one second tracker and capturing an image of a second one of the first emitters using the third tracker.
Based on the known relative positions between the fixed location and the second robotic manipulator arm, the position of the first robotic manipulator is determined. Light from the first emitters and the second emitters is differentiated by emitter patterns, blink sequences, emitter light color, and different emitter spacing distances, including infrared emitters, to enable image processing to identify which emitter array belongs to which subsystem and compute relative transformations.
Claims Coverage
The relevant independent claim is clm-00001. It uses multiple trackers, including at least one tracker at a fixed location, and differentiable emitter pluralities to determine the position of a first independently positionable robotic manipulator relative to a second independently positionable robotic manipulator.
Independent robotic manipulators with fixed reference tracker
Positioning a first robotic manipulator having a plurality of first emitters and at least one first tracker, and positioning a second robotic manipulator having a plurality of second emitters and at least one second tracker, with a third tracker positioned at a fixed location in the operating room so that each of the first and second robotic manipulators is independently positionable relative to the other and relative to the at least one third tracker.
Cross-tracker image capture of emitters
Capturing an image of a first one of the first emitters using the at least one second tracker, and capturing an image of a second one of the first emitters using the third tracker.
Determine first manipulator position using known fixed-location relationships
Determining a position of the first robotic manipulator based on the known relative positions between the fixed location and the second robotic manipulator arm.
Differentiating emitter pluralities
Making light emitted by the first emitters and light emitted by the second emitters differentiable by using blink frequency, blink sequence, emitter light color, or different emitter spacing distances.
Overall, claim coverage centers on independently positionable robotic manipulators whose relative positions are determined using images of emitters captured by a tracker on another manipulator and by a tracker at a fixed location, with emitter differentiation enabling identification of which emitter plurality is imaged, and with determination tied to known relative positions between the fixed location and the second robotic manipulator arm.
Stated Advantages
Documented Applications
No documented applications found
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