SURGICAL MECHANISM CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20100168765A1
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freehand 2010 Limited (Or Productivity Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Prosurgics Limited (Or Productivity Ltd.)
• Inventors: MORAVIEC, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 9,176,580 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2048 using an accelerometer or inertia sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/302 specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/372 Details of monitor hardware
• 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 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/012 Head tracking input arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10016 Video; Image sequence
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30204 Marker
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/246 using feature-based methods, e.g. the tracking of corners or segments

Abstract

A surgical mechanism control system comprising: a beam emitter unit configured to emit only a single beam and adapted to be attached to a surgeon; a first pair of discrete beam detectors each adapted to detect an incident beam emitted by the beam emitter unit and output a corresponding control signal when in incident beam is detected; and a control unit configured to receive one or more control signals output by the beam detectors and control a surgical mechanism in accordance with the one or more control signals.

Claims

1. A surgical mechanism control system comprising:

a beam emitter unit configured to emit only a single beam and adapted to be attached to a surgeon;

a first pair of discrete beam detectors each adapted to detect an incident beam emitted by the beam emitter unit and output a corresponding control signal when in incident beam is detected; and

a control unit configured to receive one or more control signals output by the beam detectors and control a surgical mechanism in accordance with the one or more control signals.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising a second pair of discrete beam detectors each adapted to detect an incident beam emitted by the beam emitter unit and output a corresponding control signal when in incident beam is detected.

3. A surgical mechanism control system comprising:

a camera unit adapted to be attached to a surgeon and configured to capture an image frame;

at least one marker detectable within an image frame captured by the camera;

a processing unit configured to detect one of a position and identity of the or each marker in an image frame captured by the camera and output a control signal in dependence on said one of the position and the identity of the detected marker within the captured image frame; and

a control unit configured to receive one or more control signals output by the processing unit and control a surgical mechanism in accordance with the one or more control signals.

4. A system according to claim 3, wherein the or each marker is a physical marker.

5. A system according to claim 3, further comprising a video overlay unit configured to superimpose a marker on a video signal.

6. A system according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of markers are provided, each marker being substantially uniquely identifiable.

7. A surgical endoscopic tool positioning arrangement comprising:

a laparoscope receiving module adapted to receive a laparoscope;

at least one motor coupled to the laparoscope receiving module and configured to move the laparoscope receiving module when operated;

a reflector configured to reflect electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined frequency and adapted to be attached to a surgeon;

a detector unit adapted to monitor movement of the reflector by sensing the electromagnetic radiation reflected by the reflector; and

a control unit configured to receive one or more control signals output by the detector unit and control the operation of the or each motor so as to control movement of the laparoscope receiving module in accordance with the one or more control signals.

8. An arrangement according to claim 7, further comprising two additional reflectors adapted to reflect electromagnetic radiation of respective substantially independent predetermined frequencies and adapted to be attached to a surgeon, wherein the detector unit is adapted to detect the frequency of electromagnetic radiation reflected by the reflectors and use this information to assist in monitoring the movement of the reflectors.