MEDICAL ROBOTIC SYSTEM PROVIDING AN AUXILARY VIEW INCLUDING RANGE OF MOTION LIMITATIONS FOR ARTICULATABLE INSTRUMENTS EXTENDING OUT OF A DISTAL END OF AN ENTRY GUIDE

• US 20090326318A1
• Filed: 06/23/2009
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Incorporated (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Gomez, Daniel H., Mitra, Probal, TOGNACCINI, MARC E., Lilagan, Paul E., Diolaiti, Nicola, Mustufa, Tabish
• Granted Patent: US 9,089,256 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/104
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00183 for variable viewing angles
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00193 adapted for stereoscopic vision
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/018 for receiving instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/04 combined with photographic or television appliances
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/101 Computer-aided simulation of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/102 Modelling of surgical devices, implants or prosthesis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/104 Modelling the effect of the tool, e.g. the effect of an implanted prosthesis or for predicting the effect of ablation or burring
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2059 Mechanical position encoders
• 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 2034/302 specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/303 specifically adapted for manipulations within body lumens, e.g. within lumen of gut, spine, or blood vessels
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/306 Wrists with multiple vertebrae
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/0811 for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3762 using computed tomography systems [CT]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/10 Computer-aided planning, simulation or modelling of surgical operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/20 Surgical navigation systems; Devices for tracking or guiding surgical instruments, e.g. for frameless stereotaxis
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/35 : for telesurgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 : Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/00 : Instruments, implements or accessories specially adapted for surgery or diagnosis and not covered by any of the groups A61B1/00 - A61B50/00, e.g. for luxation treatment or for protecting wound edges protective face masks A41D13/11; surgeon's or patient's gowns or dresses A41D13/12; devices for carrying-off, for treatment of, or for carrying-over, body liquids A61M1/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 : Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/37 : Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation

Abstract

A medical robotic system includes an entry guide with surgical tools and a camera extending out of its distal end. To supplement the view provided by an image captured by the camera, an auxiliary view including articulatable arms of the surgical tools and/or camera is generated from sensed or otherwise determined information about their positions and orientations are displayed along with indications of range of motion limitations on a display screen from the perspective of a specified viewing point.

Claims

1. A method for providing a computer generated view indicating joint positions and range of motion limitations for one or more articulatable instruments, the method comprising:

receiving information of states of the one or more articulatable instruments;

generating the view by including graphical representations of joints of the one or more articulatable instruments and indications of range of motion limitations for one or more of the joints, which were generated by using the received information and forward kinematics of the one or more articulatable instruments; and

displaying the generated view on a display screen.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the articulatable instruments are extendable out of a distal end of an entry guide and the view is generated from a perspective looking outward of the distal end of the entry guide.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the indications of range of motion limitations comprise graphical representations of boundaries for the one or more of the joints.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein individual of the one or more articulated instruments comprises:

first, second and third links;

a first joint coupling a distal end of the first link to a proximal end of the second link so that the second link is rotatable relative to the first link at the first joint; and

a second joint coupling a distal end of the second link to a proximal end of the third link so that the third link rotates relative to the second link at the second joint in tandem with rotation of the first joint in such a fashion that longitudinal axes of the first and third links are parallel to each other;

wherein the distal end of the entry guide has one or more holes through which corresponding of the one or more articulatable instruments are extendable through, the generated view includes an outline of the distal end of the entry guide, and the graphical representations of the joints include graphical representations of the first joints of the one or more articulatable instruments as first objects positioned where their corresponding holes would be relative to the outline of the distal end of the entry guide.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the individual of the one or more articulatable instruments comprise:

a medical device having a proximal end and a distal tip; and

a third joint coupling a distal end of the third link to the proximal end of the medical device so that the medical device is rotatable relative to the third link at the third joint;

wherein the graphical representations of the joints include graphical representations of the third joints of the one or more articulatable instruments as second objects positioned in the view to reflect angles of rotation of their corresponding first joints, angles of rotation of their corresponding first links about their respective central axes, and lengths of their corresponding second links.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the generated view includes graphical representations of the distal tips of the medical devices for the one or more articulatable instruments as third objects positioned so as to reflect angles of rotation of their corresponding third joints, the angles of rotation of their corresponding first links about their respective central axes, and lengths of their corresponding medical devices extending from their proximal ends to their distal tips.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the graphical representations of boundaries for the one or more of the joints of the one or more articulatable instruments include position boundaries for the second objects in the view.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the position boundaries for the second objects in the view comprise boundary circles sharing common centers with corresponding first objects.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the boundary circles corresponding to operator manipulatable ones of the one or more articulatable instruments are displayed on the display screen by solid lines and boundary circles corresponding to operator non-manipulatable ones of the one or more articulatable instruments are not displayed on the display screen.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the second objects change color as the second objects approach their corresponding boundary circles.

11. The method according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the boundary circles change color as their corresponding second objects approach the boundary circles.

12. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first links of the individual of the one or more articulatable instruments are extendable out of the distal end of the entry guide and lengths of extension of the first links are indicated by lengths of rays emanating from at least one of their corresponding first, second or third objects of their individual of the one or more articulatable instruments.

13. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first links of the individual of the one or more articulatable instruments are extendable out of the distal end of the entry guide and lengths of extension of the first links are indicated by changes in color of at least one of their corresponding first, second or third objects of their individual of the one or more articulatable instruments.

14. The method according to claim 6, wherein the first links of the individual of the one or more articulatable instruments are extendable out of the distal end of the entry guide and lengths of extension of the first links are indicated by changes in relative sizes between at least two of their corresponding first, second or third objects of their individual of the one or more articulatable instruments.

15. The method according to claim 6, wherein the view further comprises graphical representations of first segments connecting the first and second objects and second segments connecting the second and third objects, the first links of the individual of the one or more articulatable instruments are extendable out of the distal end of the entry guide, and lengths of extension of the first links are indicated by changes in color of at least one of their corresponding first and second segments of their individual of the one or more articulatable instruments.

16. The method according to claim 6, wherein the view further comprises graphical representations of first segments connecting the first and second objects and second segments connecting the second and third objects, the first links of the individual of the one or more articulatable instruments are extendable out of the distal end of the entry guide, and lengths of extension of the first links are indicated by changes in size of at least one of their corresponding first and second segments of their individual of the one or more articulatable instruments.

17. The method according to claim 6, wherein the view further comprises graphical representations of first segments connecting the first and second objects and second segments connecting the second and third objects, the first links of the individual of the one or more articulatable instruments are extendable out of the distal end of the entry guide, and lengths of extension of the first links are indicated by changes in shape of at least one of their corresponding first and second segments of their individual of the one or more articulatable instruments.

18. The method according to claim 6, wherein the medical device of one of the articulatable instruments includes a first element hinged to a second element so that the first and second elements are controllably opened and closed resulting in an angle between the first and second elements, and its corresponding third object has two jaws displayed so as to indicate the angle between the first and second elements.

19. The method according to claim 6, wherein the medical device of one of the articulatable instruments includes an articulatable camera instrument and the displayed view serves to supplement an image captured by the articulatable camera instrument.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the third object corresponding to the medical device including the articulatable camera instrument has an area displayed on the display screen so as to indicate a field-of-view of the articulatable camera instrument.

21. A medical robotic system comprising:

an entry guide;

a plurality of articulatable instruments controllably extending out of a distal end of the entry guide;

a display screen; and

a processor configured to receive information of states of the articulatable instruments, generate a view by including graphical representations of joints of the articulatable instruments and indications of range of motion limitations for one or more of the joints, which were generated by using the received information and forward kinematics of the articulatable instruments, and display the generated view on the display screen.

22. The medical robotic system according to claim 21, wherein the view is generated from a perspective looking outward of the distal end of the entry guide.

23. The medical robotic system according to claim 22, wherein the indications of range of motion limitations comprise graphical representations of boundaries for the one or more of the joints.

24. The medical robotic system according to claim 23, wherein individual of the articulated instruments comprises:

first, second and third links;

a first joint coupling a distal end of the first link to a proximal end of the second link so that the second link is rotatable relative to the first link at the first joint; and

a second joint coupling a distal end of the second link to a proximal end of the third link so that the third link rotates relative to the second link at the second joint in tandem with rotation of the first joint in such a fashion that longitudinal axes of the first and third links are parallel to each other;

wherein the distal end of the entry guide has holes through which corresponding of the articulatable instruments are extendable through, the generated view includes an outline of the distal end of the entry guide, and the graphical representations of the joints include graphical representations of the first joints of the articulatable instruments as first objects positioned where their corresponding holes would be relative to the outline of the distal end of the entry guide.

25. The medical robotic system according to claim 24, wherein the individual of the articulatable instruments comprise:

a medical device having a proximal end and a distal tip; and

a third joint coupling a distal end of the third link to the proximal end of the medical device so that the medical device is rotatable relative to the third link at the third joint;

wherein the graphical representations of the joints include graphical representations of the third joints of the articulatable instruments as second objects positioned in the view to reflect angles of rotation of their corresponding first joints, angles of rotation of their corresponding first links about their respective central axes, and lengths of their corresponding second links.

26. The medical robotic system according to claim 25, wherein the generated view includes graphical representations of the distal tips of the medical devices for the articulatable instruments as third objects positioned so as to reflect angles of rotation of their corresponding third joints, the angles of rotation of their corresponding first links about their respective central axes, and lengths of their corresponding medical devices extending from their proximal ends to their distal tips.

27. The medical robotic system according to claim 26, wherein the graphical representations of boundaries for the one or more of the joints of the articulatable instruments include position boundaries for the second objects in the view.

28. The medical robotic system according to claim 27, wherein the position boundaries for the second objects in the view comprise boundary circles sharing common centers with corresponding first objects.

29. The medical robotic system according to claim 28, wherein the boundary circles corresponding to operator manipulatable ones of the articulatable instruments are displayed on the display screen by solid lines and boundary circles corresponding to operator non-manipulatable ones of the articulatable instruments are not displayed on the display screen.

30. The medical robotic system according to claim 28, wherein the second objects change color as the second objects approach their corresponding boundary circles.

31. The medical robotic system according to claim 28, wherein at least a portion of the boundary circles change color as their corresponding second objects approach the boundary circles.

32. The medical robotic system according to claim 26, wherein the first links of the individual of the articulatable instruments are extendable out of the distal end of the entry guide and lengths of extension of the first links are indicated by lengths of rays emanating from at least one of their corresponding first, second or third objects of their individual of the articulatable instruments.

33. The medical robotic system according to claim 26, wherein the first links of the individual of the articulatable instruments are extendable out of the distal end of the entry guide and lengths of extension of the first links are indicated by changes in color of at least one of their corresponding first, second or third objects of their individual of the articulatable instruments.

34. The medical robotic system according to claim 26, wherein the first links of the individual of the articulatable instruments are extendable out of the distal end of the entry guide and lengths of extension of the first links are indicated by changes in relative sizes between at least two of their corresponding first, second or third objects of their individual of the one or more articulatable instruments.

35. The medical robotic system according to claim 26, wherein the view further comprises graphical representations of first segments connecting the first and second objects and second segments connecting the second and third objects, the first links of the individual of the articulatable instruments are extendable out of the distal end of the entry guide, and lengths of extension of the first links are indicated by changes in color of at least one of their corresponding first and second segments of their individual of the articulatable instruments.

36. The medical robotic system according to claim 26, wherein the view further comprises graphical representations of first segments connecting the first and second objects and second segments connecting the second and third objects, the first links of the individual of the articulatable instruments are extendable out of the distal end of the entry guide, and lengths of extension of the first links are indicated by changes in size of at least one of their corresponding first and second segments of the individual of the one or more articulatable instruments.

37. The medical robotic system according to claim 26, wherein the view further comprises graphical representations of first segments connecting the first and second objects and second segments connecting the second and third objects, the first links of the individual of the articulatable instruments are extendable out of the distal end of the entry guide, and lengths of extension of the first links are indicated by changes in shape of at least one of their corresponding first and second segments of their individual of the one or more articulatable instruments.

38. The medical robotic system according to claim 26, wherein the medical device of one of the articulatable instruments includes a first element hinged to a second element so that the first and second elements are controllably opened and closed resulting in an angle between the first and second elements, and its corresponding third object has two jaws displayed so as to indicate the angle between the first and second elements.

39. The medical robotic system according to claim 26, wherein the medical device of one of the articulatable instruments includes an articulatable camera instrument and the displayed view serves to supplement an image captured by the articulatable camera instrument.

40. The medical robotic system according to claim 39, wherein the third object corresponding to the medical device including the articulatable camera instrument has an area displayed on the display screen so as to indicate a field-of-view of the articulatable camera instrument.