Interface device and method for interfacing instruments to medical procedure simulation systems

• US 20040048230A1
• Filed: 09/09/2003
• Published: 03/11/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1996
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Immersion Medical Inc (Immersion Corporation)
• Original Assignee: HT Medical Systems Incorporated
• Inventors: Cohen, Robert F., Feldman, Ben, Merril, Gregory L., Brown, J. Michael, Cabahug, Eric, Churchill, Philip J., Alexander, David
• Granted Patent: US 7,931,470 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/262
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/285 for injections, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, sigmoidscopy, insertion of contraceptive devices or enemas

Abstract

An interface device and method for interfacing instruments to a medical procedure simulation system serve to interface peripherals in the form of mock medical instruments to the medical procedure simulation system computer to enable simulation of medical procedures. The interface device includes a housing having a mock bodily region of interest to facilitate insertion of a mock instrument, such as an endoscope tube, into the interface device. The mock bodily region of interest may be pivotable to simulate various patient orientations. The instrument is engaged by a capture mechanism in order to measure rotational and translational motion of the instrument. An actuator is disposed within the interface device to provide force feedback to the instrument. The measured motion is provided to the computer system to reflect instrument motion on the display during the simulation. Alternatively, the interface device may be configured to accommodate instrument assemblies having a plurality of nested instruments (e.g., sheath, catheter and wire), whereby the interface device individually grasps, measures manipulation of and provides force feedback to the nested instruments. In addition, the interface device may be configured to simultaneously accommodate a plurality of independently inserted instruments.

Claims

1. An interface device for interfacing instruments to a simulation system to enable a user to interact with the simulation system to perform a medical procedure on a simulated anatomy of a virtual patient, said interface device comprising:

a peripheral in the form of a mock medical instrument capable of selective manipulation by the user;

an orifice for receiving said instrument;

a guide tube for directing said instrument from said orifice into said interface device;

a capture mechanism for engaging said instrument to enable said interface device to measure manipulation of and provide force feedback to said instrument; and

a sensing assembly to measure manipulation of and provide force feedback to said instrument, wherein said sensing assembly includes;

motion detection means to measure manipulation of said captured instrument and provide signals indicating said measured manipulation to said simulation system to simulate said medical procedure; and

force application means to apply force feedback to said captured instrument in response to control signals from said simulation system.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said instrument includes an endoscope.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said instrument includes a nested instrument assembly, and said interface device further includes:

a plurality of capture mechanisms each engaging a corresponding instrument of said instrument assembly to enable said interface device to measure manipulation of and provide force feedback to that instrument; and

a plurality of sensing assemblies each measuring manipulation of and providing force feedback to said corresponding instrument.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said interface device further includes a pivoting mechanism to pivot said orifice.

5. An interface device for interfacing instruments to a simulation system to enable a user to interact with the simulation system to perform a medical procedure on a simulated anatomy of a virtual patient, said interface device comprising:

a plurality of peripherals in the form of mock medical instruments capable of selective manipulation by the user;

a plurality of orifices for receiving said instruments;

a plurality of guide tubes for directing said instruments from said orifices into said interface device;

a plurality of capture mechanisms for engaging said instruments to enable said interface device to measure manipulation of and provide force feedback to said instruments; and

a plurality of sensing assemblies to measure manipulation of and provide force feedback to said instruments, wherein each said sensing assembly includes;

motion detection means to measure manipulation of a corresponding captured instrument and provide signals indicating said measured manipulation to said simulation system to simulate said medical procedure; and

force application means to apply force feedback to said corresponding captured instrument in response to control signals from said simulation system.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein at least one of said instruments includes a nested instrument assembly.

7. In an interface device for interfacing instruments to a simulation system to enable a user to interact with the simulation system to perform a medical procedure, a capture mechanism for engaging an instrument inserted within the interface device to enable the interface device to measure manipulation of and provide force feedback to that instrument, said capture mechanism comprising:

a grasping member for engaging said instrument to enable said interface device to measure manipulation of and provide force feedback to said instrument; and

an actuator for activating said grasping member to engage said instrument in response to user manipulation of said instrument.

8. A method for interfacing instruments to a simulation system, via an interface device, to enable a user to interact with the simulation system to perform a medical procedure on a simulated anatomy of a virtual patient, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) inserting a peripheral in the form of a mock medical instrument into said interface device via an orifice and guide tube, and selectively manipulating said instrument within said interface device;

(b) engaging said instrument, via a capture mechanism, to enable said interface device to measure manipulation of and provide force feedback to said instrument;

(c) measuring manipulation of said captured instrument and providing signals indicating said measured manipulation to said simulation system to simulate said medical procedure; and

(d) applying force feedback to said captured instrument in response to control signals from said simulation system.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said instrument includes an endoscope.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said instrument includes a nested instrument assembly, and step (b) further includes:

(b.1) engaging each instrument of said instrument assembly to enable said interface device to measure manipulation of and provide force feedback to that instrument;

step (c) further includes;

(c.1) measuring manipulation of said each instrument and providing signals indicating said measured manipulation to said simulation system; and

step (d) further includes;

(d.1) applying force feedback to said each instrument in response to control signals from said simulation system.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) pivoting said orifice to a desired orientation.