Software center and highly configurable robotic systems for surgery and other uses

• US 8,823,308 B2
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Nowlin, William C., Mohr, Paul W., Schena, Bruce M., Larkin, David Q., Guthart, Gary S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Kawing
• Application Number:
  US13/175,550
• Publication Number:
  US 20110270271A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,159 Days
• Field of Search: 318/560, 318/567, 318/568.1, 318/568.11, 318/568.2, 318/568.21
• US Class Current: 318/568.21
• 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 2034/305 Details of wrist mechanisms at distal ends of robotic arms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/065 for measuring contact or contact pressure
• 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 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• 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: A61B 90/37 Surgical systems with images on a monitor during operation
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 3/00 Manipulators of master-slave type, i.e. both controlling unit and controlled unit perform corresponding spatial movements
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1682 Dual arm manipulator; Coordination of several manipulators
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1689 Teleoperation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39135 For multiple manipulators operating at same time, avoid collision
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39212 Select between autonomous or teleoperation control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/39322 Force and position control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40184 Compliant teleoperation, operator controls motion, system controls contact, force
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45117 Medical, radio surgery manipulator

Abstract

Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector n space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and method for their use are also provided.

Claims

1. A tele-surgical method comprising:

receiving a command at an input device of a tele-surgical system to move an end effector with a desired movement that follows a movement of the input device, there being a manipulator assembly including the end effector and a plurality of joints with sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states of the plurality of joints for a position of the end effector;

calculating a first movement of at least one of the plurality of joints within a workspace of the manipulator assembly in response to the command so as to move the end effector with the desired movement;

calculating a second movement of at least one of the plurality of joints within the workspace in response to an external articulation of at least one other joint of the plurality of joints, the calculated second movement being determined to result in a combination of joint states within the range of joint states of the plurality of joints for the position of the end effector; and

driving the plurality of joints within the workspace of the manipulator assembly according to the calculated first and second movements.

2. The tele-surgical method of claim 1,

wherein each joint of the plurality of joints of the manipulator assembly has an associated joint degree of freedom;

wherein the method further comprises changing a mode of a processor between an end effector manipulation mode and a clutch mode;

wherein the processor in the end effector manipulation mode calculates the first movement of at least one of the plurality of joints; and

wherein the processor in the clutch mode calculates the second movement of at least one joint of the plurality of joints in response to the external articulation of at least one other joint of the plurality of joints so that the manipulator assembly moves with at least one effective clutch degree of freedom that differs from the degrees of freedom of each of the joints of the plurality of joints.

3. The tele-surgical method of claim 1, wherein:

the processor calculates a primary solution to drive the plurality of joints of the manipulator assembly to carry out the desired end effector movement, the primary solution being underconstrained; and

the processor drives the plurality of joints of the manipulator assembly toward desired combinations of joint states of the plurality of joints within the primary solution by using a configuration-dependent filter.

4. The tele-surgical method of claim 1, wherein the second movement of at least one of the plurality of joints within the workspace is calculated in a joint space of the plurality of joints.

5. A tele-surgical method comprising:

receiving a movement command to effect a desired movement of an end effector of a tele-surgical tool inserted distally through an aperture, wherein the desired movement of the end effector follows a movement of an input device, wherein a proximal end of the tool is moved proximally of the aperture with a tele-surgical manipulator, the tele-surgical manipulator and tool together including a plurality of driven joints with sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states for a position of the end effector that is distal of the aperture;

determining an aperture location from joint states of the manipulator;

calculating movements of the plurality of joints in response to the movement command so as to move the end effector with the desired movement, wherein the movements of the plurality of joints are calculated so as to maintain an intermediate portion of the tool adjacent the determined aperture location so as to maintain the intermediate portion of the tool within the aperture when the aperture is moved during the desired movement of the end effector; and

driving the plurality of joints to carry out the calculated movements.

6. The tele-surgical method of claim 5, wherein the calculated movements of the plurality of joints comprise axial movement of the tool at an axial joint maintained adjacent the aperture.

7. The tele-surgical method comprising;

receiving a movement command to effect a desired movement of an end effector of a tele-surgical tool inserted distally through an aperture, wherein the desired movement of the end effector follows a movement of an input device, wherein a proximal end of the tool is moved proximally of the aperture with a tele-surgical manipulator, and wherein the tele-surgical manipulator and tool together includes a plurality of driven joints with sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states for a position of the end effector that is distal of the aperture;

calculating and driving movements of the plurality of joints in response to the movement command so as to move the end effector with the desired movement and so as to maintain an intermediate portion of the tool at a calculated position within the aperture during the desired movement of the end effector; and

driving the manipulator toward a pre-determined collision-inhibiting configuration.

8. A tele-surgical method comprising:

tele-operatively moving a first end effector of a first manipulator assembly, the first manipulator assembly having sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of alternative joint states for a position of the first end effector in a workspace, wherein the desired movement of the first end effector follows a movement of an input device;

tele-operatively moving a second end effector of a second manipulator assembly;

transmitting signals from the second manipulator assembly, the signals indicating the tele-operative moving of the second manipulator assembly;

receiving a command for a desired movement of the first end effector within the workspace; and

calculating a movement of the first manipulator assembly, in response to the command for the desired movement of the first end effector and the signals from the second manipulator assembly, to drive the first manipulator assembly toward a pre-determined collision-inhibiting configuration in which a collision between the first manipulator assembly and the second manipulator assembly is inhibited, and so that the first end effector effects the desired movement.

9. A tele-surgical method of moving a tool holder relative to a proximal base, the method comprising:

pivoting an arm assembly of a manipulator assembly relative to the proximal base at a first pivotal joint disposed between the arm assembly and the base;

pivoting the tool holder relative to the arm assembly at a second joint disposed between the tool holder and the arm assembly;

pivoting a pivotal arm joint of the arm assembly disposed between the tool holder and the base, so as to change an angle between a longitudinal axis of a first link and a longitudinal axis of a second link, the longitudinal axis of the first link extending between the base and the pivotal arm joint, the longitudinal axis of the second link extending from the pivotal arm joint to the tool holder, the pivotal arm joint coupling the first link and the second link, the second link coupling the pivotal arm joint to the tool holder; and

driving a rolling joint of the arm assembly so as to roll a distal portion of the arm assembly including the pivotal arm joint about a roll axis of the rolling joint to a pre-determined collision inhibiting configuration, the rolling joint being disposed between the pivotal arm joint and the first pivotal joint.

10. A tele-surgical method comprising:

tele-operatively moving an end effector of a manipulator assembly, the manipulator assembly having a plurality of joints, the plurality of joints providing sufficient degrees of freedom between a proximal base and the end effector to allow a range of joint states for an end effector state while the manipulator extends distally through an aperture to a worksite;

receiving a command to effect a desired movement of the end effector within the worksite;

calculating an underconstrained primary solution corresponding to the desired movement of the end effector;

filtering the primary solution with a configuration-dependent filter that differs according to the manipulator assembly configuration associated with the primary solution so as to restrict actuation of the manipulator assembly to provide a desired combination of joint states of the plurality of joints; and

driving the manipulator assembly to carry out the filtered primary solution.

11. A tele-surgical method comprising:

receiving a command in a tele-surgical system to effect a desired movement of an end effector of the system at a worksite, the end effector being inserted distally through an aperture to the worksite, a manipulator arm assembly extending from a proximal base to the end effector and including a plurality of joints between the base and the end effector;

sensing a force between the manipulator arm assembly and the aperture with a force sensor system of the tele-surgical system;

calculating joint commands for the plurality of joints of the manipulator arm assembly by using both the received input command and the sensed force received from the force sensor system; and

effecting the desired movement by driving the plurality of joints with the calculated joint commands.

12. A method of operating a tele-surgical device, the method comprising:

positioning a manipulator assembly within a workspace adjacent a surgical worksite, the manipulator assembly having a plurality of driven joints;

changing a mode of a processor to a port clutch mode;

manually repositioning at least one of the plurality of driven joints of the manipulator assembly within the workspace during a time in which the processor is in the port clutch mode so as to align the manipulator assembly with a minimally invasive aperture site, the processor in the port clutch mode being configured to;

calculate a movement of at least one other joint of the plurality of driven joints within the workspace in response to the manual repositioning of the at least one joint of the plurality of driven joints of the manipulator assembly, and

drive the plurality of driven joints to effect the calculated movement of the at least one other joint of the plurality of driven joints;

changing a mode of the processor to a tissue manipulation mode; and

inputting a command at an input device to move an end effector of the manipulator assembly with a desired movement during a time in which the processor is in the tissue manipulation mode, the processor in the tissue manipulation mode being configured to calculate movements of the plurality of driven joints in response to the command so as to pivot the manipulator assembly about a calculated pivotal center location adjacent the minimally invasive aperture site and to move the end effector with the desired movement within a patient body.

13. A tele-surgical method comprising:

tele-operatively moving a tool holder relative to a proximal base with a manipulator while a shaft of a tool mounted on the tool holder extends from the tool holder distally through an aperture to an end effector of the tool;

changing a mode of a processor by actuating a clutch input; and

during a time in which the mode of the processor is changed by actuating the clutch input, using the processor to;

determine a movement of at least one joint of a plurality of driven joints of the manipulator in response to manual articulation of another joint of the plurality of driven joints,

determine an aperture location from joint states of the plurality of driven joints,

calculate movements of the plurality of driven joints to (i) effect the determined movement of the at least one joint and (ii) to pivot the tool holder about a calculated pivotal center location along the tool shaft distal of the tool holder and (iii) to maintain the calculated pivotal center location directly adjacent the determined aperture location, and

drive the plurality of driven joints to carry out the calculated movements of the plurality of driven joints.

14. A tele-surgical method comprising:

receiving a command to effect a desired movement of an end effector, the end effector being supported by a shaft of a manipulator arm assembly;

calculating first joint movements of a plurality of joints of the manipulator arm assembly in response to the command so that the end effector effects the desired movement and so as to pivot the shaft about a calculated pivotal center location while the shaft extends through an aperture, wherein the location of the pivotal center is determined by a processor so as to maintain the pivotal center location adjacent the aperture;

driving the plurality of joints of the manipulator arm assembly to carry out the calculated first joint movements;

calculating second joint movements of the plurality of joints of the manipulator arm assembly to resist movement of the pivotal center away from the calculated pivotal center location, wherein the second joint movements are with the calculated so as to provide a desired pivotal center stiffness when the aperture is moved; and

driving the plurality of joints of the manipulator arm assembly to carry out the calculated second joint movements.

15. The tele-surgical method of claim 14, further comprising receiving a change of the desired pivotal center stiffness;

and

calculating the second joint movements to resist movement of the pivotal center away from the calculated pivotal center location per the desired pivotal center stiffness.

16. A tele-surgical method comprising:

receiving a command at an input device of a tele-surgical system to move an end effector with a desired movement that follows a movement of the input device, there being a manipulator assembly of the tele-surgical system, the manipulator assembly including the end effector and a plurality of joints with sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states of the plurality of joints for a position of the end effector, each joint of the plurality of joints of the manipulator assembly having an associated joint degree of freedom;

calculating a first movement of the plurality of joints in response to the command so as to move the end effector with the desired movement;

driving the plurality of joints to carry out the calculated first movement;

calculating a second movement of the plurality of joints in response to an external articulation of another joint of the plurality of joints so that the manipulator assembly moves with at least one effective clutch degree of freedom that differs from the degrees of freedom of each of the joints of the plurality of joints;

driving the plurality of joints to carry out the calculated second movement; and

changing a mode of a processor of the tele-surgical system between an end effector manipulation mode and a clutch mode,

wherein the processor in the end effector manipulation mode calculates and drives the first movement of the plurality of joints

wherein the processor in the clutch mode calculates and drives the second movement of the plurality of joints, and

wherein the processor in the clutch mode calculates a combination of joint velocities that limit the movement of the manipulator assembly to the at least one effective clutch degree of freedom and drives the plurality of joints in accordance with the calculated combination of joint velocities.

17. The tele-surgical method of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to allow only desired linear combinations of an externally articulated joint velocity with one or more tele-operatively driven joint velocities.