Systems and methods for trocar kinematics
Inventors
Pickett, Michael • Buharin, Vasiliy • Dehghani, Hossein
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12201387-B2
Publication Date
2025-01-21
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present disclosure provides systems and methods for discretizing a movement or a motion of one or more robotic arms. The system may comprise a robotic arm, an end effector coupled to a distal portion of the robotic arm, and a trocar through which the end effector may be inserted. The trocar may comprise a trocar reference point. The system may further comprise a processor configured to (i) determine a starting position and a destination position of a distal end of the end effector, (ii) determine a path between the starting position and the destination position, (iii) determine a plurality of points along the path, and (iv) determine a set of motions to move the distal end of the end effector from the starting position to the destination position, based at least in part on the trocar reference point.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to trocar-constrained robotic surgical motion planning for a robotic arm including an end effector insertable through a trocar having a trocar reference point. A method determines a starting position and a destination position of a distal end of the end effector, computes a path between the starting position and the destination position, and generates a set of motions to move the distal end based at least in part on the trocar reference point.
The set of motions includes an in-plane rotation of the end effector that maintains the trocar reference point during the in-plane rotation. A projected vector is determined from the trocar reference point to a first point of the plurality of points along the path, and the in-plane rotation is determined based at least in part on a rotation matrix computed as a function of a trocar z-axis vector and the projected vector, or based at least in part on an angle between the end effector and the projected vector.
The path can be discretized into a plurality of segments, including a linear portion and/or a curved portion defined by vectors. Transformations for the one or more rotations and the one or more translations of the end effector are determined from a first reference frame to a second reference frame, including reference frames linked to the end effector and to the robotic arm.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims present a motion-planning method for a robotic arm and end effector inserted through a trocar, using a trocar reference point to constrain in-plane end-effector rotation while planning a path with discretized points. The inventive features are expressed across four independent claims, with refinements in dependent claims where provided.
Trocar-constrained motion planning with in-plane rotation maintaining the trocar reference point
Using a processor to determine a starting position and a destination position of a distal end of the end effector, compute a path between the starting position and the destination position, identify a plurality of points along the path, and generate a set of motions to move the distal end from the starting position to the destination position based at least in part on the trocar reference point, wherein the set of motions includes an in-plane rotation of the end effector that maintains the trocar reference point during the in-plane rotation.
Rotation matrix determined from trocar z-axis vector and projected vector
Determining the in-plane rotation based at least in part on a rotation matrix, wherein the rotation matrix is computed as a function of a trocar z-axis vector and the projected vector, and wherein the projected vector is determined from the trocar reference point to a first point of the plurality of points along the path.
Angle-based in-plane rotation using projected vector
Determining the in-plane rotation based at least in part on an angle between the end effector and the projected vector, where the projected vector is determined from the trocar reference point to a first point of the plurality of points along the path.
Path discretization into segments for projected-vector-based in-plane rotation constraint
Generating a set of motions that includes an in-plane rotation of the end effector that maintains the trocar reference point during the in-plane rotation, and determining the plurality of points along the path by discretizing the path into a plurality of segments.
Transformations for rotations and translations across reference frames
Determining one or more rotations and one or more translations of the end effector to move the distal end to the destination position based at least in part on the starting position, the first point of the plurality of points, and an in-plane rotation, and determining a set of transformations for the one or more rotations and the one or more translations from a first reference frame to a second reference frames, wherein the in-plane rotation maintains the trocar reference point during the in-plane rotation.
Across the independent claims, the patent coverage centers on planning robotic end-effector motions from a starting position to a destination position using a trocar reference point, and constraining motion to include an in-plane rotation that maintains that trocar reference point. The claims further require determining the in-plane rotation using either a rotation matrix or an angle between the end effector and the projected vector, and include additional requirements such as discretizing the path into segments and determining transformations across reference frames for rotations and translations.
Stated Advantages
Minimizing damage to a subject in laparoscopic surgery through constrained robotic motion planning.
Documented Applications
Robotic surgical motion planning for laparoscopic surgery using a trocar and trocar reference point to maintain constrained in-plane rotation of the end effector.
Adjusting position and orientation of the distal end of the end effector so that a medical operator can carry out one or more steps of a surgical procedure while minimizing damage to a subject.
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