SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ESTIMATING INSTRUMENT LOCATION

• US 20190183585A1
• Filed: 12/13/2018
• Published: 06/20/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: Auris Health, Inc. (Johnson & Johnson)
• Inventors: Rafii-Tari, Hedyeh, Ummalaneni, Ritwik, Lim, Simon Wei Quan, Jeevan, Prasanth
• Granted Patent: US 11,510,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00398 using powered actuators, e.g. stepper motors, solenoids
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00809 Lung operations
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/105 Modelling of the patient, e.g. for ligaments or bones
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2051 Electromagnetic tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2055 Optical tracking systems
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2059 Mechanical position encoders
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2061 using shape-sensors, e.g. fiber shape sensors with Bragg gratings
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2065 Tracking using image or pattern recognition
• 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 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 2090/0818 Redundant systems, e.g. using two independent measuring systems and comparing the signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/306 using optical fibres
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/3614 using optical fibre
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/005 with suction drainage system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2217/007 with irrigation system
• 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 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras

Abstract

Systems and methods for estimating instrument location are described. The methods and systems can obtain a first motion estimate based on robotic data and a second motion estimate based on position sensor data. The methods and systems can determine a motion estimate disparity based on a comparison of the first and second motion estimates. Based on the motion estimate disparity, the methods and systems can update a weighting factor for a location derivable from the robotic data or a weighting factor for a location derivable from the position sensor data. Based on the updated weighting factor, the methods and systems can determine a location/position estimate for the instrument. The methods and systems can provide increased accuracy for a position estimate in cases where the instrument experiences buckling or hysteresis.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed, cause a processor of a device to at least:

obtain a first motion estimate for an instrument based on robotic data regarding physical manipulation of the instrument;

obtain a second motion estimate for the instrument based on position sensor data received from at least one position sensor;

determine a motion estimate disparity based on a comparison of the first motion estimate and the second motion estimate;

based on the motion estimate disparity, update (a) a weighting factor for a location derivable from the robotic data, or (b) a weighting factor for a location derivable from the position sensor data; and

determine a position estimate for the instrument based on the updated weighting factor.

2. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

(a) decrease the weighting factor for a location derivable from the robotic data, or (b) increase the weighting factor for a location derivable from the position sensor data, when the motion estimate disparity indicates that the second motion estimate exceeds the first motion estimate.

3. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine that the instrument has experienced a hysteresis condition when the motion estimate disparity indicates that the second motion estimate exceeds the first motion estimate.

4. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

(a) decrease the weighting factor for a location derivable from the robotic data, or (b) increase the weighting factor for a location derivable from the position sensor data, when the motion estimate disparity indicates that the first motion estimate exceeds the second motion estimate.

5. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine that the instrument has experienced a buckling condition when the motion estimate disparity indicates that the first motion estimate exceeds the second estimate.

6. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to update the weighting factor for a location derivable from the robotic data to zero.

7. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine the motion estimate disparity by determining a difference between the first motion estimate and the second motion estimate.

8. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 7, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to update:

(a) the weighting factor for a location derivable from the robotic data, or (b) the weighting factor for a location derivable from the position sensor data, when the difference exceeds a disparity threshold value.

9. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

obtain the first motion estimate by determining a change in position of the instrument based on the robotic data during an interval; and

obtain the second motion estimate by determining a change in position of the instrument based on the position sensor data during the interval.

10. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the interval is a time interval.

11. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the interval is a distance interval.

12. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the position estimate is determined based on the updated weighting factor, the location derivable from the robotic data, and the location derivable from the position sensor data.

13. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 1, wherein the instruction, when executed, are cause the processor to:

obtain a third motion estimate for the instrument based on vision data received from an imaging device positioned on the instrument;

determine the motion estimate disparity based on a comparison of the second motion estimate and the third motion estimate; and

based on the motion estimate disparity, update (c) a weighting factor for a location derivable from the vision data.

14. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

(b) increase the weighting factor for a location derivable from the position sensor data, or (c) decrease the weighting factor for a location derivable from the vision, when the motion estimate disparity indicates that the second motion estimate exceeds the third motion estimate.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine that the instrument has experienced a hysteresis condition when the motion estimate disparity indicates that the second motion estimate exceeds the third motion estimate.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to:

(b) increase the weighting factor for a location derivable from the position sensor data, or (c) decrease the weighting factor for a location derivable from the vision data, when the motion estimate disparity indicates that the third motion estimate exceeds the second motion estimate.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the processor to determine that the instrument has experienced a buckling condition when the motion estimate disparity indicates that the third motion estimate exceeds the second estimate.

18. A robotic system comprising:

an instrument having an elongate body and at least one position sensor disposed on the elongate body;

an instrument positioning device attached to the instrument and configured to move the instrument;

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;

obtain a first motion estimate for the instrument based on robotic data regarding physical manipulation of the instrument with the instrument positioning device;

obtain a second motion estimate for the instrument based on position sensor data received from at least one position sensor;

determine a motion estimate disparity based on a comparison of the first motion estimate and the second motion estimate;

based on the motion estimate disparity, update;

(a) a weighting factor for a location derivable from the robotic data, or (b) a weighting factor for a location derivable from the position sensor data; and

determine a position estimate for the instrument based on the updated weighting factor.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the instrument comprises an endoscope.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the instrument positioning device comprises a robotic arm.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one position sensor comprises an EM sensor.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one position sensor comprises an imaging device positioned on the instrument, and wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to determine positional information from images captured by the imaging device.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the at least one position sensor comprises a shape-sensing fiber, an accelerometer, a gyroscope, an electromagnetic sensor, an imaging device, or an ultrasonic sensor.

24. A method for navigating an instrument within an interior region of a body, the method comprising:

obtaining a first motion estimate for an instrument based on robotic data regarding physical manipulation of the instrument;

obtaining a second motion estimate for the instrument based on position sensor data received from at least one position sensor;

determining a motion estimate disparity based on a comparison of the first motion estimate and the second motion estimate;

based on the motion estimate disparity, updating;

(a) a weighting factor for a location derivable from the robotic data, or (b) a weighting factor for a location derivable from the position sensor data; and

determining a position estimate for the instrument based on the updated weighting factor.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein updating the weighting factor comprises (a) decreasing the weighting factor for the location derivable from the robotic data, or (b) increasing the weighting factor for the location derivable from the position sensor data, when the motion estimate disparity indicates that the second motion estimate exceeds the first motion estimate.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein updating the weighting factor comprises (a) decreasing the weighting factor for the location derivable from the robotic data, or (b) increasing the weighting factor for the location derivable from the position sensor data, when the motion estimate disparity indicates that the first motion estimate exceeds the second motion estimate.

27. The method of claim 24, further comprising updating the weighting factor for the location derivable from the robotic data to zero when the motion estimate disparity indicates that the second motion estimate exceeds the first motion estimate.

28. The method of claim 24, further comprising updating the weighting factor for the location derivable from the position sensor data to zero when the motion estimate disparity indicates that the first motion estimate exceeds the second motion estimate.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein determining the motion estimate disparity comprises determining a difference between the first motion estimate and the second motion estimate, and determining the difference comprises determining a magnitude of the difference.

30. The method of claim 24, further comprising updating (a) the weighting factor for the location derivable from the robotic data, or (b) the weighting factor for the location derivable from the position sensor data, when the difference exceeds a disparity threshold value.