System for controlling micro-robot using transfer robot

• US 10,148,162 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2016
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology
• Original Assignee: Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology
• Inventors: Choi, Hong Soo, Woo, Seong Yong, Kim, Sang Won
• Primary Examiner(s): Dhakal, Bickey
• Application Number:
  US15/044,543
• Publication Number:
  US 20160241121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,022 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/72 Micromanipulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 1/01 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/19 characterised by positioning or contouring control systems, e.g. to control position from one programmed point to another or to control movement along a programmed continuous path
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/41355 Electro magnetic coil actuator, voice coil
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45073 Microrobot
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 21/021 Means for mechanical adjustment of the excitation flux
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/031 of the permanent magnet type
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/035 DC motors; Unipolar motors
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 41/0352 Unipolar motors

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for performing a control on a micro-robot using a transfer robot. The system includes a magnetic field control unit configured to control a movement of a micro-structure or a micro-robot within a working area according to an output magnetic field, a transfer robot connected to the magnetic field control unit to transfer the working area in space, and a control unit configured to receive position information about the micro-structure or micro-robot and position information about the transfer robot, and transmit a control signal based on the received position information.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a driving unit comprising;

a magnetic field output unit configured to output a magnetic field; and

a magnetic field control unit configured to control, in association with the magnetic field output unit, a movement of a micro-structure or a micro-robot within a working area of the driving unit according to an output magnetic field;

a transfer robot connected to one end of the driving unit that includes the magnetic field output unit and the magnetic field control unit, and configured to transfer the working area of the driving unit in a three-dimensional (3D) space by moving together with the driving unit in response to an input of target space coordinates of the transfer robot, the transfer robot being different from the micro-structure or the micro-robot and configured to control the micro-structure or the micro-robot by changing a position of the driving unit; and

a control unit configured to receive position information about the micro-structure or the micro-robot and position information about the transfer robot, and transmit a control signal based on the received position information,

wherein the control unit, in response to the input of the target space coordinates, transmits, to a transfer robot control unit, a position control signal for the transfer robot to move the transfer robot to the target space coordinates.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the magnetic field control unit controls the movement of the micro-structure or the micro-robot while interoperating with the magnetic field output unit that is provided with a core, a bobbin, and a coil.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the transfer robot includes at least one of a linear motion robot, a linear motion robot having a rotation axis, and a multi-joint robot.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit monitors whether a position of the micro-structure or the micro-robot lies within a preset area in the working area as a result of an operation of the transfer robot, and transmits, to the transfer robot control unit and the magnetic field control unit, a control signal regarding the movement of the transfer robot according to a result of the monitoring.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising an image acquisition unit configured to acquire the position information about the micro-structure or the micro-robot, wherein the control unit receives the position information about the micro-structure or the micro-robot from the image acquisition unit.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control unit, in response to determining, as a result of receiving the position information after driving of the transfer robot, that the transfer robot arrives at the target space coordinates, transmits a signal informing that a driving preparation is complete to the magnetic field control unit.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the magnetic field control unit controls the movement of the micro-structure or the micro-robot while interoperating with the magnetic field output unit in response to receiving the signal informing that the driving preparation is complete.

8. A system comprising:

a driving unit comprising;

a magnetic field output unit configured to output a magnetic field; and

a magnetic field control unit configured to control, in association with the magnetic field output unit, a movement of a micro-structure or a micro-robot within a working area of the driving unit according to an output magnetic field;

a transfer robot connected to one end of the driving unit that includes the magnetic field output unit and the magnetic field control unit, and configured to transfer the working area of the driving unit in a three-dimensional (3D) space by moving together with the driving unit, the transfer robot being different from the micro-structure or the micro-robot and configured to control the micro-structure or the micro-robot by changing a position of the driving unit; and

a control unit configured to receive position information about the micro-structure or the micro-robot and position information about the transfer robot, and transmit a control signal based on the received position information,

wherein the control unit, in response to target space coordinates being input, transmits, to a transfer robot control unit configured to control a movement of the transfer robot, a position control signal to move the transfer robot to the target space coordinates, and

wherein the control unit, in response to determining, as a result of receiving the position information after driving of the transfer robot, that the transfer robot arrives at the target space coordinates, transmits a signal informing that a driving preparation is complete to the magnetic field control unit.