Robotic instrument control system

• US 20090012533A1
• Filed: 04/23/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Hansen Medical Incorporated (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Barbagli, Federico, Carlson, Christopher R.
• Application Number:
  US12/150,110
• Publication Number:
  US 20090012533A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00482 with a code
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/301 for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/715 Cable tensioning mechanisms for removing slack
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/741 Glove like input devices, e.g. "data gloves"
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/98 using electromagnetic means, e.g. transponders
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/40 relating to mechanical, radiation or invasive therapies, e.g. surgery, laser therapy, dialysis or acupuncture
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation

Abstract

A robotic instrument system includes a controller configured to control actuation of at least one servo motor, and an elongate bendable guide instrument defining a lumen and operatively coupled to, and configured to move in response to actuation of, the at least one servo motor. The controller controls movement of the guide instrument via actuation of the at least one servo motor based at least in part upon a control model, wherein the control model takes into account an attribute of an elongate working instrument positioned in the guide instrument lumen.

Claims

1. A robotic instrument system, comprising:

a controller configured to control actuation of at least one servo motor; and

an elongate bendable guide instrument defining a lumen and operatively coupled to, and configured to move in response to actuation of, the at least one servo motor;

wherein the controller controls movement of the guide instrument via actuation of the at least one servo motor based at least in part upon a control model, and

wherein the control model takes into account an attribute of an elongate working instrument positioned in the guide instrument lumen.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the attribute is a mechanical or physical attribute of a portion of the working instrument positioned within a distal bending portion of the guide instrument.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control model takes into account one or both of a type and a size of the working instrument.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control model is adapted to take into account a working instrument having sections comprising differing dimensions or other physical differences.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the attribute of the working instrument comprises a mechanical impedance, a stiffness, or a modulus.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the control model takes into account a frictional force between an outer surface of working instrument and an inner surface of the guide instrument.

7. The system of claim 1, the control model comprising:

a forward kinematics model expressing a desired position of a distal end portion of the guide instrument as a function of actuated inputs for controlling a control element of the guide instrument; and

an inverse kinematics model expressing actuated inputs for controlling the control element of the guide instrument as a function of the desired position of the distal end portion of the guide instrument.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the attribute of the working instrument is obtained from a data storage element attached to or associated with the working instrument.

9. A robotic instrument system, comprising:

a controller;

an instrument driver in communication with the controller, the instrument driver having a instrument interface including an instrument drive element that moves in response to control signals generated by the controller; and

an elongate flexible guide instrument having a base and a distal bending portion, the base operatively coupled to the instrument interface, the guide instrument comprising a control element having first and second end portions, the first end portion operatively coupled to the instrument drive element through the base, and the second end portion coupled to the distal bending portion, the control element being axially moveable relative to the guide instrument by movement of the instrument drive element, wherein the controller implements a desired bending of the distal bending portion of the guide instrument by selected movement of the instrument drive element based at least in part on a control model that takes into account one or both of a mechanical attribute and a physical attribute of an elongate working instrument that is positioned within the distal bending portion of the guide instrument.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the control model comprises a kinematic model based at least in part upon a mechanical parameter of the guide instrument.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the kinematic model is utilized by the controller to determine a movement of the instrument drive element based upon a relationship between an angular rotation of the drive element and a resulting position of the distal bending portion of the guide instrument.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the control model takes into account one or both of a type and a size of the working instrument.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the control model is adapted to take into account a working instrument having sections comprising differing dimensions or other physical attributes.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the attribute of the working instrument comprises a mechanical impedance, a stiffness, or a modulus.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the control model takes into account a frictional force between an outer surface of working instrument and an inner surface of the guide instrument.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the mechanical attribute and/or physical attribute is obtained from a data storage element attached to or associated with the working instrument.

17. A robotically controlled medical instrument system, comprising:

a controller;

an instrument driver operatively coupled to the controller and controllable according to a control model employed by the controller;

a guide instrument operatively coupled to the instrument driver and comprising at least one wire extending there through for controllably articulating a distal bending portion of the guide instrument under control of the instrument driver, wherein the guide instrument defines a working lumen; and

a working instrument positioned in working lumen of the guide instrument and at least partially extending through the distal bending portion, wherein the controller is adapted to automatically adjust the control model based on an attribute of the working instrument.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the attribute includes at least one of a type, a size, a mechanical impedance, a stiffness, or a modulus.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the control model takes into account a frictional force between an outer surface of working instrument and an inner surface of the guide instrument.

20. The system of claim 17, wherein the controller is configured to obtain the attribute of the working instrument from a data storage element attached to or associated with the working instrument.