Magnetic-anchored robotic system

• US 9,020,640 B2
• Filed: 04/26/2013
• Issued: 04/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Iemis Limited
• Original Assignee: Bio-medical Engineering (HK) Limited
• Inventors: Yung, Kai Leung, Yeung, Chung Kwong
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Khoi
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIN, ABBY YEE
• Application Number:
  US13/871,926
• Publication Number:
  US 20130289768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 700245-264, 901 2- 10, 901 30- 45, 901/50, 606/1, 606/130, 606/14, 606/108, 606/911, 604/16, 604/165.03, 604/177, 604/398, 623 111- 112, 623 118- 119, 623/2.11, 623/3.11, 623/25, 623 212- 216, 600101-183
• US Class Current: 700/258
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/00 Surgical instruments, devices or methods, e.g. tourniquets A61B18/00 takes precedence; contraceptive devices, pessaries, or applicators therefor A61F6/00; eye surgery A61F9/007; ear surgery A61F11/00
• 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 17/3417 Details of tips or shafts, e.g. grooves, expandable, bendable; Multiple coaxial sliding cannulas, e.g. for dilating syringe needles A61M5/32; dilators A61M29/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/3423 Access ports, e.g. toroid shape introducers for instruments or hands access sites for liquids A61M39/0247
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00283 with a device releasably connected to an inner wall of the abdomen during surgery, e.g. an illumination source
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00876 magnetic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/3484 Anchoring means, e.g. spreading-out umbrella-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/302 specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/371 with simultaneous use of two cameras
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/30 Surgical robots
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/73 Manipulators for magnetic surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/088 with position, velocity or acceleration sensors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/09 Closed loop, sensor feedback controls arm movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/34 force feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 901/41 Tool
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]

Abstract

A surgical system includes a manipulator, an implantable actuator and a controller. The manipulator includes a plurality of integrated sensor/actuators. The sensors of the sensor/actuators are adapted to detect movement about a plurality of axes of movement. The implantable actuator includes a plurality of joints providing a plurality of axes of movement. The controller is configured to receive information from the plurality of sensor/actuators that indicates movement of the manipulator about the plurality of axes and to cause the joints of the actuator to move along corresponding axes of movement. Each sensor/actuator of the manipulator detects movement about an axis of movement corresponding to a similar one of the joints of the actuator.

Claims

1. A surgical system, comprising:

a manipulator including a plurality of integrated sensor/actuators, the sensors of the sensor/actuators being adapted to detect movement about a plurality of axes of movement, and the actuators of the sensor/actuators being adapted to provide haptic feedback;

an implantable actuator at a distal end of an arm, the implantable actuator including a plurality of joints providing the plurality of axes of movement; and

a controller configured to receive information from the plurality of sensor/actuators that indicates movement of the manipulator about the plurality of axes of movement and to cause the joints of the implantable actuator to move along corresponding axes of movement,

wherein each sensor/actuator of the manipulator detects movement about an axis of movement corresponding to a similar one of the joints of the implantable actuator,

wherein at least one foldable flap is disposed adjacent to the arm,

wherein, in a folded position, a length of the at least one foldable flap is substantially curved; and

wherein, in an unfolded position, a length of the at least one foldable flap is substantially planar.

2. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the manipulator includes two manipulator ends, each manipulator end being coupled to a first and second sensor/actuator of the plurality of sensor/actuators.

3. The surgical system of claim 2, wherein the manipulator ends are arranged adjacent to each other and the first and second sensor/actuators extend away from the manipulator ends.

4. The surgical system of claim 3, wherein portions of the first and second sensor/actuators distal to the manipulator ends are coupled to a first frame member.

5. The surgical system of claim 4, wherein a third sensor/actuator of the plurality of sensor/actuators is coupled to the first frame member.

6. The surgical system of claim 5, wherein the first frame member includes a ‘

C’

shape, the first and second sensor/actuators are respectively coupled to end portions of the ‘

C’

shape, and the third sensor is coupled to a center portion of the ‘

C’

shape.

7. The surgical system of claim 5, wherein the manipulator includes a second frame member, the third sensor and a fourth of the plurality of sensor/actuators being respectively coupled to the second frame member, and the second frame member including a bend.

8. The surgical system of claim 7, wherein the manipulator includes a third frame member, the third frame member having a first portion coupled to the fourth sensor and a second portion coupled to a fifth of the plurality of sensor/actuators, the third frame member being extendable and retractable.

9. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the manipulator includes an extendable and retractable frame member,

one of the plurality of sensor/actuators includes a sensor that detects extension and retraction of the frame member,

the actuator includes a joint that extends and retracts, and

the control system causes the extending and retracting joint of the actuator to extend or retract when the sensor/actuators of the manipulator detects an extension or retraction of the frame member.

10. The surgical system of claim 1, further comprising

a table defining an arm rest for an operator;

and

a frame member extending away from the table, wherein

a base of the manipulator is coupled to the frame member, and

a manipulator end of the manipulator distal to the base extends away from the base in a direction towards the table.

11. The surgical system of claim 10, further comprising a display, wherein the table and the manipulator are positioned outside of a line of sight between the operator and the display such that the operator can see both the manipulator and the display when the operator is positioned at the table to manipulate the manipulator.

12. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of sensor/actuators includes 7 sensor/actuators and the plurality of joints includes 7 joints, each of the sensor/actuators corresponding to a respective one of the joints and one of 7 axis of movement.

13. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein an axis of movement of each of the plurality of sensor/actuators directly correlates to an axis of movement of a respective one of the joints.

14. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the at least one foldable flap is operable to unfold by a magnetic force.

15. The surgical system of claim 1, wherein the at least one foldable flap comprises memory alloy operable to unfold based on temperature conditions.

16. An operator interface for a surgical system, comprising:

a manipulator including a plurality of sensor/actuators that detect movement about a plurality of axes of movement, the axes of movement each corresponding to a respective axis of movement of a joint of an implantable actuator; and

a controller configured to receive information from the plurality of sensor/actuators that indicates movement of the manipulator about the plurality of axes and to cause the joints of the implantable actuator to move along corresponding axes of movement,

wherein the implantable actuator is disposed at a distal end of an arm,

wherein at least one foldable flap is disposed adjacent to the arm, and

wherein each sensor/actuator of the manipulator detects movement about an axis of movement corresponding to a similar one of the joints of the implantable actuator,

wherein, in a folded position, a length of the at least one foldable flap is substantially curved; and

wherein, in an unfolded position, a length of the at least one foldable flap is substantially planar.

17. The operator interface of claim 16, wherein the manipulator includes two manipulator ends, each manipulator end being coupled to a first and second sensor/actuator of the plurality of sensor/actuators.

18. The operator interface of claim 17, wherein the manipulator ends are arranged adjacent to each other and the first and second sensor/actuators extend away from the manipulator ends.

19. The operator interface of claim 18, wherein portions of the first and second sensor/actuators distal to the manipulator ends are coupled to a first frame member.

20. The operator interface of claim 19, wherein a third sensor/actuator of the plurality of sensor/actuators is coupled to the first frame member.

21. The operator interface of claim 20, wherein the first frame member includes a ‘

C’

shape, the first and second sensor/actuators are respectively coupled to end portions of the ‘

C’

shape, and the third sensor is coupled to a center portion of the ‘

C’

shape.

22. The operator interface of claim 20, wherein the manipulator includes a second frame member, the third sensor and a fourth of the plurality of sensor/actuators being respectively coupled to the second frame member, and the second frame member including a bend.

23. The operator interface of claim 22, wherein the manipulator includes a third frame member, the third frame member having a first portion coupled to the fourth sensor and a second portion coupled to a fifth of the plurality of sensor/actuators, the third frame member being extendable and retractable.

24. The operator interface of claim 16, wherein the actuators of the sensor/actuators provide haptic feedback.

25. The operator interface of claim 16, wherein the manipulator includes an extendable and retractable frame member, and one of the plurality of sensor/actuators includes a sensor that detects extension and retraction of the frame member.

26. The operator interface of claim 16, further comprising

a table defining an arm rest for an operator;

and

a frame member extending away from the table, wherein

a base of the manipulator is coupled to the frame member, and

a manipulator end of the manipulator distal to the base extends away from the base in a direction towards the table.

27. The operator interface of claim 16, further comprising a display, wherein the table and the manipulator are positioned outside of a line of sight between the operator and the display such that the operator can see both manipulator and the display when the operator is positioned at the table to manipulate the manipulator.

28. The operator interface of claim 16, wherein the plurality of sensor/actuators includes 7 sensor/actuators, each of the sensor/actuators corresponding to a respective one of the joints and one of 7 axis of movement.

29. The operator interface of claim 16, wherein an axis of movement of each of the plurality of sensor/actuators directly correlates to an axis of movement of a respective one of the joints.

30. The operator interface of claim 16, wherein the at least one foldable flap is operable to unfold by a magnetic force.

31. The operator interface of claim 16, wherein the at least one foldable flap comprises memory alloy operable to unfold based on temperature conditions.

32. A method, comprising:

providing a manipulator having a plurality of sensor/actuators that detect movement about a plurality of axes of movement;

providing an implantable actuator at a distal end of an arm;

providing at least one foldable flap adjacent to the arm;

wherein each of the plurality of sensor/actuators comprises at least one corresponding sensor;

detecting, using one of the corresponding sensors of the sensor/actuators, motion about an axis of movement of the plurality of axes of movement; and

moving at least a portion of an implantable actuator based on movement detected by the sensor about the axis of movement,

wherein, in a folded position, a length of the at least one foldable flap is substantially curved; and

wherein, in an unfolded position, a length of the at least one foldable flap is substantially planar.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein each of the corresponding sensors of the plurality of sensor/actuators corresponds to a different joint of the implantable actuator.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein each of the plurality of sensor/actuators comprises at least one corresponding actuator and the corresponding actuator is operable to provide haptic feedback to a respective joint.

35. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least one foldable flap is operable to unfold by a magnetic force.

36. The method of claim 32, wherein the at least one foldable flap comprises memory alloy operable to unfold based on temperature conditions.