System and method for remote endoscopic surgery

• US 6,731,988 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2000
• Issued: 05/04/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SRI International, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SRI International, Inc.
• Inventors: Green, Philip S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Starks, Jr., Wilbert L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hartman, Jr., Ronald D
• Application Number:
  US09/583,389
• Time in Patent Office: 1,435 Days
• Field of Search: 700/19, 700/257, 700/245, 700/264, 700/302, 700/2-3, 700/20, 901/27-30, 901/4, 606/46, 606/130, 606/1, 600/101, 600/109, 600/114, 600/117-118, 414/1, 414/5
• US Class Current: 700/3
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00234 for minimally invasive surgery A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take 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 2090/064 for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension
• 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 34/74 Manipulators with manual electric input means
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/77 Manipulators with motion or force scaling
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 90/361 Image-producing devices, e.g. surgical cameras
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 19/023 including video camera means
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 3/04 involving servo mechanisms servo-actuated heads B25J15/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/189 Recording image signals; Reproducing recorded image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/194 Transmission of image signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/239 using two 2D image sensors having a relative position equal to or related to the interocular distance H04N13/243 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/246 Calibration of cameras
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/296 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/337 using polarisation multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/341 using temporal multiplexing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 13/398 Synchronisation thereof; Control thereof

Abstract

A teleoperator system with telepresence is shown which includes right and left hand controllers (72R and 72L) for control of right and left manipulators (24R and 24L) through use of a servomechanism that includes computer (42). Cameras (46R and 46L) view workspace (30) from different angles for production of stereoscopic signal outputs at lines (48R and 48L). In response to the camera outputs a 3-dimensional top-to-bottom inverted image (30I) is produced which, is reflected by mirror (66) toward the eyes of operator (18). A virtual image (30V) is produced adjacent control arms (76R and 76L) which is viewed by operator (18) looking in the direction of the control arms. By locating the workspace image (30V) adjacent the control arms (76R and 76L) the operator is provided with a sense that end effectors (40R and 40L) carried by manipulator arms (34R and 34L) and control arms (76R and 76L) are substantially integral. This sense of connection between the control arms (76R and 76L) and end effectors (40R and 40L) provide the operator with the sensation of directly controlling the end effectors by hand. By locating visual display (246) adjacent control arms (244R and 244L) image (240I) of the workspace is directly viewable by the operator (FIGS. 12 and 13). Use of the teleoperator system for surgical procedures is also disclosed (FIGS. 7-9 and 13).

Claims

1. A system for controlling a slave manipulator for performing minimally invasive surgery at a worksite from a remote control operator'"'"'s station, the slave manipulator including a slave end effector movably coupled to a slave wrist member which is movably coupled to a slave manipulator arm, the system comprising:

a hand-operated master linkage arrangement including a plurality of master linkages; and

a servomechanism configured to couple the master linkages to the slave manipulator arm, the slave wrist member, and the slave end effector to move the slave manipulator arm, to articulate the slave wrist member, and to actuate the slave end effector in response to movement of the master linkages for performing minimally invasive surgery at a worksite from a remote control operator'"'"'s station,

wherein the master linkage arrangement is operable by a single hand to manipulate the master linkages to control movement of the slave manipulator arm, the slave wrist member, and the slave end effector; and

wherein the master linkage arrangement includes a master manipulator arm, a master wrist member movably coupled to the master manipulator arm, and a master end effector movably coupled to the master wrist member, and wherein the servomechanism is configured to couple the slave manipulator arm to the master manipulator arm to move the slave manipulator arm in response to movement of the master manipulator arm by the hand, to couple the slave wrist member to the master wrist member to articulate the slave wrist member in response to movement of the master wrist member by the hand, and coupling the slave end effector to the master end effector to actuate the slave end effector in response to movement of the master end effector by the hand.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the master linkage arrangement is operable by a single hand without removing the hand from the master linkage arrangement.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the master manipulator arm is pivotable relative to a pivot point.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the master manipulator arm has an axis extending between a proximal portion and a distal portion, the master manipulator arm being rotatable around the axis.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the master manipulator arm has an axis extending between a proximal portion and a distal portion, the master manipulator arm being movable along the axis.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the master wrist member is coupled to the master manipulator arm at a pivot joint and is pivotable relative to the pivot joint.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the master wrist member has an axis extending between a proximal portion and a distal portion, the master wrist member being rotatable around the axis.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the master wrist member has an axis extending between a proximal portion and a distal portion, the master wrist member being movable relative to the master manipulator arm along the axis.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the master end effector is coupled to the master wrist member at a pivot joint and pivotable relative to the pivot joint.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the master end effector comprises a pair of jaws pivotable to open and close relative to the pivot joint.

11. A system for controlling a slave manipulator for performing minimally invasive surgery at a worksite from a remote control operator'"'"'s station, the system comprising:

a hand-operated master linkage arrangement including a master manipulator arm, a master wrist member movably coupled to the master manipulator arm, and a master end effector movably coupled to the master wrist member; and

a mechanism configured to couple the slave manipulator with the master linkage arrangement to control movement of the slave manipulator in response to movement of the master linkage arrangement for performing minimally invasive surgery at a worksite from a remote control operator'"'"'s station;

wherein the master linkage arrangement is operable by a single hand to manipulate the master manipulator arm, the master wrist member, and the master end effector to control movement of the slave manipulator without removing the hand from the master linkage arrangement.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the mechanism is configured to couple a slave manipulator arm to the master manipulator arm to move the slave manipulator arm in response to movement of the master manipulator arm by the hand, to couple a slave wrist member to the master wrist member to articulate the slave wrist member in response to movement of the master wrist member by the hand, and to couple a slave end effector to the master end effector to actuate the slave end effector in response to movement of the master end effector by the hand.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the master manipulator arm is pivotable relative to a pivot point, the master wrist member is coupled to the master manipulator arm at a pivot joint and is pivotable relative to the pivot joint, and the master wrist member is rotatable around an axis extending between a proximal portion and a distal portion thereof.

14. A method of controlling a slave manipulator for performing minimally invasive surgery at a worksite from a remote control operator'"'"'s station, the slave manipulator including a slave end effector movably coupled to a slave wrist member which is movably coupled to a slave manipulator arm, the method comprising:

providing a hand-operated master linkage arrangement including a plurality of master linkage which are operatively coupled with the slave manipulator arm, the slave wrist member, and the slave end effector to move the slave manipulator arm, to articulate the slave wrist member, and to actuate the slave end effector in response to movement of the master linkages; and

using a single hand to manipulate the master linkages to control movement of the slave manipulator arm, the slave wrist member, and the slave end effector;

wherein the hand is used to manipulate the master linkages including a master manipulator arm, a master wrist member movably coupled to the master manipulator arm, and a master end effector movably coupled to the master wrist member, wherein the master manipulator arm is manipulated by the hand to control movement of the slave manipulator arm, the master wrist member is manipulated by the hand to control articulation of the slave wrist member, and the master end effector is manipulated by the hand to control actuation of the slave end effector.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the hand is used to manipulate the master linkages without removing the hand from the master linkage arrangement.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the master manipulator arm is manipulated by the hand to pivot relative to a pivot point.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the master manipulator arm is manipulated by the hand to move along and rotate around an axis extending between a proximal portion and a distal portion of the master manipulator arm.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the master wrist member is manipulated by the hand to pivot relative to a pivot joint between the master manipulator arm and the master wrist member.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the master wrist member is manipulated by the hand to move along and rotate around an axis extending between a proximal portion and a distal portion of the master wrist member.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the end effector is manipulated by the hand to pivot a pair of jaws to open and close relative to a pivot joint between the master wrist member and the master end effector.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein the slave wrist member is coupled to the slave manipulator arm about a first joint axis and is coupled to the end effector at a second joint axis distal of the first joint axis, the slave wrist member having a wrist member axis extending between the joint axes along the length of the slave wrist member.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein manipulation of the master linkages causes the slave wrist member to rotate around the wrist member axis.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein the slave manipulator arm is inserted through an incision in a body wall of a patient so that the end effector is positioned at a surgical site, wherein the manipulation of the master linkages results in pivoting the slave manipulator arm at the incision.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the manipulation of the master linkages results in imparting at least three degrees of freedom of movement to the portion of the slave manipulator arm external of the patient'"'"'s body wall, one of the three degrees of freedom including insertion of the slave manipulator arm through the incision.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the manipulation of the master linkages results in maneuvering the end effector in at least three distal degrees of freedom, one of the three degrees of freedom including actuation of the end effector.

26. The method of claim 14 wherein the moving the slave manipulator arm comprises spinning the slave manipulator arm around its axis.

27. The method of claims 14 wherein the slave manipulator arm comprises a plurality of coupled linkages adapted to hold and move the slave manipulator arm about an incision with a center of rotation of the slave manipulator arm being provided and maintained at the incision.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein the plurality of coupled linkages comprise a remote center of rotation mechanism that maintains the remote center of rotation substantially at the incision during surgery.

29. A minimally invasive surgical system for performing minimally invasive surgery at a worksite from a remote control operator'"'"'s station, comprising:

a slave manipulator including a slave end effector movably coupled to a slave wrist member which is movably coupled to a slave manipulator arm;

a hand-operated master linkage arrangement including a plurality of master linkages disposed at the remote control operator'"'"'s station for controlling the slave manipulator for performing surgery at the worksite, the master linkage arrangement including a master manipulator arm, a master wrist member movably coupled to the master manipulator arm, and a master end effector movably coupled to the master wrist member; and

a servomechanism configured to couple the master linkages to the slave manipulator arm, the slave wrist member, and to actuate the slave end effector in response to movement of the master linkages,

wherein the master linkage arrangement is operable by a single hand to manipulator the master linkages to control movement of the slave manipulator arm, the slave wrist member, and the slave end effector.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the slave wrist member is coupled to the slave manipulator arm about a first joint axis and is coupled to the slave end effector at a second joint axis distal of the first joint axis, the slave wrist member having a wrist member axis extending between the joint axes along the length of the slave wrist member.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the master linkages are manipulable to cause the slave wrist member to rotate around the wrist member axis.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the slave manipulator arm is inserted through an incision in a body wall of a patient so that the end effector is positioned at a surgical site, wherein the master linkages are manipulable to pivot the slave manipulator arm at the incision.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the master linkages are manipulable to impart at least three degrees of freedom of movement to the portion of the slave manipulator arm external of the patient'"'"'s body wall, one of the three degrees of freedom including insertion of the slave manipulator arm through the incision.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the master linkages are manipulable to maneuver the end effector in at least three distal degrees of freedom, one of the three degrees of freedom including actuation of the end effector.

35. The system of claim 29 wherein the slave manipulator arm is movable by spinning around its axis.

36. The system of claim 29 wherein the slave manipulator arm comprises a plurality of coupled linkages adapted to hold and move the slave manipulator arm about an incision with a center of rotation of the slave manipulator arm being provided and maintained at the incision.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the plurality of coupled linkages comprise a remote center of rotation mechanism that maintains the remote center of rotation substantially at the incision during surgery.