Tool actuation and force feedback on robot-assisted microsurgery system

• US 6,385,509 B2
• Filed: 05/15/2001
• Issued: 05/07/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Das, Hari, Ohm, Tim R., Steele, Robert D., Boswell, Curtis D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Marc, McDieunel, Marc, McDieunel
• Application Number:
  US09/858,673
• Publication Number:
  US 20010020200A1
• Time in Patent Office: 357 Days
• Field of Search: 700/245, 700/248, 700/257, 700/260, 700/262, 700/263, 901/27, 901/28, 901/30, 901/34, 901/36, 600/595, 606/130, 341/20, 345/157, 345/161
• US Class Current: 700/260
• 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 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40144 Force sensation feedback from slave
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40193 Micromanipulation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45123 Electrogoniometer, neuronavigator, medical robot used by surgeon to operate
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

An input control device with force sensors is configured to sense hand movements of a surgeon performing a robot-assisted microsurgery. The sensed hand movements actuate a mechanically decoupled robot manipulator. A microsurgical manipulator, attached to the robot manipulator, is activated to move small objects and perform microsurgical tasks. A force-feedback element coupled to the robot manipulator and the input control device provides the input control device with an amplified sense of touch in the microsurgical manipulator.

Claims

1. A microsurgery system, comprising:

a robot manipulator having a plurality of mechanically decoupled joints, said plurality of mechanically decoupled joints allowing actuation of a joint without affecting motion of any other joints;

an effector coupled to said robot manipulator to apply a force to an object; and

a force feedback element adapted to amplify a return force from said effector.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

master control system coupled to said robot manipulator, said master control system allowing an operator to input hand movement, where said hand movement is converted into amount of force applied at the effector.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the return force of said force feedback element provides an exaggerated sense of feel, such that said sense of feel allows an operator to feel smaller force feedback than that without said force feedback element.

4. A method of performing a microsurgery, comprising:

converting operator hand movements into a series of forces to be applied by a manipulator;

determining a series of manipulator movements, said movements performed by a combination of manipulator joint movements;

actuating the manipulator joint movements;

providing an amplified feedback of a return force felt by said manipulator.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said actuating includes providing movement of each joints in a mechanically decoupled orientation such that a joint movement is made without affecting movement of any other joints.