Orientation of user-input devices for controlling surgical arms
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Publication Number
US-12213758-B2
Publication Date
2025-02-04
Expiration Date
Abstract
A surgical system comprises an articulated mechanical arm comprising arm segments connected serially by arm joints that flex and rotate, and first and second input-devices. The second input-device comprises a handle configurable to be oriented in any orientation in an x-y-z space, and the handle comprises segment members and joint members corresponding to the arm segments and arm joints of the arm. The arm joints can be actuatable by, and have the same degrees of freedom as, the handle joint member. A method of using the surgical system includes retroflecting the arm, transitioning control of the arm from the first input device to the second input device, and performing a surgical action, during which a displacement vector or a reorientation arc of the handle member through the x-y-z space is translated to a corresponding displacement vector or corresponding reorientation arc of the end effector in the same x-y-z space.
Core Innovation
The disclosed surgical robotic system includes an articulated mechanical arm with a surgical end effector at a distal end and a plurality of arm joints having respective degrees of freedom. An input-device array of one or more user-input devices controls flexing and rotating of the arm joints, and the system delivers the end effector to a retroflex operating position by retroflecting the distal end of the arm in response to an electronic control-output from a first user-input device.
Operating the system uses coordinate translation matrices to translate user-inputs into flexion and rotation commands for the arm joints. A first coordinate translation matrix defines a first x-y-z space to translate a user-input during retroflecting, and after detecting that the end effector is in the retroflex operating position, the system transitions to a second coordinate translation matrix defining a second x-y-z space based on the retroflex position.
In the retroflex operating position, the system performs a surgical activity using the end effector after transitioning, in response to an electronic control-output from a second user-input device. The transition logic is contingent on detection of retroflex positioning, including matching arm curve-shape status to a pre-defined curve shape and detecting such match using 2D projection-based approaches, such as an S-curve shape.
Claims Coverage
The partial document provides two independent claims. Each claim centers on retroflecting the distal end and performing a coordinate translation-matrix transition to control joint flexion and rotation using user inputs from first and second user-input devices, contingent on a detected end-effector state.
Retroflecting distal end with first coordinate translation matrix for first x-y-z space
Retroflecting the distal end of the articulated mechanical arm in response to an electronic control-output from a first user-input device so as to deliver the end effector to a retroflex operating position, employing a first coordinate translation matrix defining a first x-y-z space to translate a user-input to a respective flexion and rotation of an arm joint.
Contingent transition to second coordinate translation matrix based on retroflex position or orientation
Transitioning to a second coordinate translation matrix defining a second x-y-z space that is based on the retroflex position of the end effector, in response to and contingent upon detecting that the end effector is in the retroflex operating position; and transitioning to a second coordinate translation matrix that is based on a current orientation of the end effector in response to and contingent upon a detection that the current orientation corresponds to a current orientation of a second user-input device.
Performing surgical activity with second coordinate translation matrix using second user-input device
After the transitioning and in response to an electronic control-output from a second user-input device, performing a surgical activity using the end effector, employing the second coordinate translation matrix to translate a user-input to a respective flexion and rotation of an arm joint.
Triggering coordinate translation matrix transition based on retroflex curve-shape detection
Detecting the retroflex operating position includes monitoring a shape-status where at least a portion of the mechanical arm has a curve-shape matching a pre-defined curve-shape, with the matrix transition occurring only in response to that match.
Curve-shape matching using two-dimensional projection-based detection
Detecting whether the curve-shape matches the pre-defined curve-shape uses one or more 2D projection-based matching approaches.
Input handle reorientation limitation during retroflecting
During retroflecting, the handle member is not reoriented from a selected orientation in the x-y-z space by more than 90°.
Across the independent claims, the core inventive structure is operating a surgical robotic system by retroflecting the arm distal end into a retroflex operating position using a first coordinate translation matrix, then transitioning to a second coordinate translation matrix contingent on detecting an end-effector retroflex state and using the second user-input device to perform the surgical activity through translation of user inputs into arm-joint flexion and rotation.
Stated Advantages
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