CONFIGURABLE ROBOTIC SURGICAL SYSTEM WITH VIRTUAL RAIL AND FLEXIBLE ENDOSCOPE

• US 20170340396A1
• Filed: 08/18/2017
• Published: 11/30/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Auris Surgical Robotics, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Romo, Enrique, Moll, Frederic H., Mintz, David S., Lown, Mark, Oli, Siddharth, Jiang, Allen
• Granted Patent: US 10,667,871 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 10/04 Endoscopic instruments
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00477 Coupling A61B2017/0046 takes precedence
• 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 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/32 operating autonomously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/085 Force or torque sensors B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1682 Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1694 characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39109 Dual arm, multiarm manipulation, object handled in cooperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39319 Force control, force as reference, active compliance
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/46 Sensing device

Abstract

Systems and methods for moving or manipulating robotic arms are provided. A group of robotic arms are configured to form a virtual rail or line between the end effectors of the robotic arms. The robotic arms are responsive to outside force such as from a user. When a user moves a single one of the robotic arms, the other robotic arms will automatically move to maintain the virtual rail alignments. The virtual rail of the robotic arm end effectors may be translated in one or more of three dimensions. The virtual rail may be rotated about a point on the virtual rail line. The robotic arms can detect the nature of the contact from the user and move accordingly. Holding, shaking, tapping, pushing, pulling, and rotating different parts of the robotic arm elicits different movement responses from different parts of the robotic arm.

Claims

1. A method of moving a system of robotic arms, the method comprising:

receiving a force feedback signal based on a force exerted by a user on a surgical robotic system that comprises a first robotic arm coupled to a first tool base and a second robotic arm coupled to a second tool base, the first tool base and the second tool base of the second surgical tool being at a predetermined distance relative to each other;

one or more processors providing to the first robotic arm a first command to move the first tool base along a first movement vector based on the force feedback signal; and

one or more processors providing to the second robotic arm a second command to move the second tool base simultaneously with the first tool base along a second movement vector to maintain the predetermined distance of the first tool base the second tool base.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first tool base is coupled to a first surgical tool and the second tool base is coupled to a second surgical tool and wherein the first and second surgical tools are arranged in a telescoping configuration.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first movement vector and the second movement vector are collinear.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first movement vector and the second movement vector are the same.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first movement vector and the second movement vector are different.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first command and providing the second command comprises commanding the first and second tool bases to move in unison along one or more of an X-axis, a Y-axis, or a Z-axis.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the second command comprises providing a command to pivot the second tool base about the first tool base.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the first command comprises providing a command to pivot the first tool base about a point on a line that extends between the first and second tool bases and providing a second command comprises providing a command to pivot the second tool base about the point on the line formed by the formed between the first and second tool bases.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the point on the line is between the first and second tool bases.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the point on the line is beyond the of the first and second tool bases.

11. A system configured to control a surgical robotic system;

the system comprising

at least one computer-readable memory having stored thereon executable instructions; and

one or more processors in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least;

receive a force feedback signal based on a force exerted by a user on the surgical robotic system comprising a first robotic arm coupled to a first tool base and a second robotic arm coupled to a second tool base, the first tool base and the second tool base being at a predetermined distance relative to each other;

provide to the first robotic arm a first command to move the first tool base along a first movement vector based on the force feedback signal; and

provide to the second robotic arm a second command to move the second tool base simultaneously with the first tool base along a second movement vector to maintain the predetermined distance of the first tool base the second tool base

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the predetermined distance between the first and second tool bases comprises a linear alignment between the first and second tool bases.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more processors in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory are configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least pivot the first and second tool bases of the first and second robotic arms about a point on a line extending between the first and second tool bases.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the point on the line is between the first and second tool bases.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the point on the line is beyond the first and second tool bases.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the one or more processors in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory are configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least:

translate the first and second tool bases in unison along one or more of an X-axis, a Y-axis, or a Z-axis.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the first movement vector and the second movement vector are the same.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the first movement vector and the second movement vector are different.

19. A system configured to move a surgical robotic system comprising a first robotic arm and a second robotic arm, the system comprising:

a controller coupled to the first and second arms;

at least one computer-readable memory having stored thereon executable instructions; and

one or more processors in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory and configured to execute the instructions to cause the system to at least;

detect a force exerted by a user on the surgical robotic system;

in response to the detected force, move the first tool base with the first surgical arm along a first movement vector; and

in response to the detected force, move the second tool base with the second robotic arm along a second movement vector to maintain a predetermined distance of the first tool base and the second tool base.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the first movement vector and the second movement vector are collinear.

21. The system of claim 19, wherein the first movement vector and the second movement vector are different.

22. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory are configured to execute instructions to register a distance of a first tool base of the first robotic arm with respect to a second tool base of the second robotic arm.

23. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory are configured to execute instructions to keep an axial distance between the first and second tool bases constant as the first tool base moves along the first movement vector and the second tool base moves along the second movement vector.

24. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory are configured to execute instructions that vary an axial distance between the first and second tool bases constant as the first tool base moves along the first movement vector and the second tool base moves along the second movement vector.

25. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory are configured to automatically move the first tool base with first surgical arm in response to the detected force.

26. The system of claim 19, wherein the one or more processors in communication with the at least one computer-readable memory are configured to simultaneously move the second tool base with the first tool base to maintain the predetermined distance of the first tool base and the second tool base.