Software Center and Highly Configurable Robotic Systems for Surgery and Other Uses

• US 20110264111A1
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Incorporated (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Intuitive Surgical Incorporated (Intuitive Surgical Holdings, LLC)
• Inventors: Guthart, Gary S., Larkin, David Q., Schena, Bruce M., Nowlin, William C., Mohr, Paul W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,541,970 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/130
• 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

1-99. -99. (canceled)

100. A surgical robotic system comprising:

a surgical instrument having a proximal end, a distal end effector suitable for insertion into a patient, and an intermediate portion between the proximal end and the end effector;

a first manipulator configured to support the proximal end of the instrument so as to move the instrument from outside the patient;

the first manipulator and instrument together comprising a first manipulator assembly having a plurality of driven joints, the driven joints being configured to provide sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states for an end effector position while the intermediate portion passes through an access site;

an input configured to receive a movement command to effect a desired movement of the end effector within a surgical workspace; and

a processor coupling the input to the first manipulator assembly, the processor being configured to determine movements of the joints in response to the commanded movement so that the intermediate portion of the instrument is within the access site during the desired movement of the end effector, the processor being further configured to calculate the joint movements so as to drive the manipulator assembly towards a manipulator collision inhibiting configuration.

101. The robotic system of claim 100, further comprising:

a second manipulator configured to support a second instrument, the second instrument having a distal end effector;

wherein the first and second manipulators are movable simultaneously in response to signals from the processor;

wherein the first and second manipulators are each configured to have sufficient degrees of freedom to have a range of joint states for an end effector position of the first and second manipulators; and

wherein during simultaneous movement of the first and second manipulators, the processor is configured to inhibit collisions between the first and second manipulators by calculating the signals for the first manipulator at least in part in response to a joint configuration of the second manipulator, and by calculating signals for the second manipulator at least in part in response to a joint configuration of the first manipulator.

102. The system of claim 100, further comprising a collision sensor system along the manipulator, wherein the processor is configured to drive the first manipulator in response to a signal from the collision sensing system.

103. The system of claim 102, wherein the collision sensor system comprises at least one sensor selected from a group consisting of tape switches, flexible sensing arrays, individual force sensing resistors or arrays, and active or passive capacitive sensing systems.

104. The system of claim 101, wherein the processor is configured to inhibit collisions during movement of the manipulators by individually calculating a desired pose of each manipulator in response to signals from the other manipulator.

105. The system of claim 104, further comprising:

a third manipulator, wherein the processor is configured to globally configure the manipulators by calculating a desired pose of each of the manipulators in response to signals from the other manipulators.

106. The robotic surgical system of claim 100, further comprising at least one other surgical instrument having a proximal end, a distal end effector suitable for insertion into a patient, and an intermediate portion between the proximal end and the end effector, the or each at least one other surgical instrument each being supported by a corresponding at least one other manipulator, the or each at least one other manipulator being configured to move the associated end effector of the or each other surgical instrument in the surgical workspace in accordance with commands of the processor, wherein the processor is configured to calculate the joint movements of the first manipulator in response to signals from the or each at least one other manipulator so as to inhibit collisions between the manipulators during movement of the manipulators.

107. The robotic surgical system of claim 106,

wherein joints of the or each at least one other manipulator are configured to provide sufficient degrees of freedom to allow a range of joint states for an end effector position while the intermediate portion of the associated the or each at least one other surgical instrument passes through an associated access site,

wherein the range of joint states for each manipulator includes a first configuration and a second configuration, a joint of the first manipulator in the first configuration defining a generally upwardly oriented apex, a joint the or each at least one other manipulators in the second configuration defining a generally downwardly oriented apex, and

wherein the processor is configured to drive the manipulators so that the first manipulator having the first configuration is disposed adjacent one or more of the at least one other manipulators having the second configuration.

108. The robotic surgical system of claim 106,

wherein each manipulator comprises a plurality of interconnected links,

wherein the range of joint states for each manipulator comprises a substantially planar configuration in which the plurality of links extend along a plane, and

wherein the processor is configured to inhibit collisions between the manipulators by driving each manipulator toward its associated planar configuration with the associated planes offset.

109. The robotic surgical system of claim 100,

wherein the system comprises a plurality of manipulators, each of the manipulators having a joint having an axis, and

wherein the collision inhibiting configuration comprises an axis of a joint in one manipulator and an axis of a corresponding joint in another manipulator being co-planar so as to avoid potential collisions between the manipulators.

110. The robotic surgical system of claim 100, further comprising a collision sensor at one or more locations on the manipulator, wherein the sensor comprises either a contact sensor or a proximity sensor or both.

111. The robotic surgical system of claim 110, wherein the processor is configured to drive the manipulator to a different pose in response to contact sensed by the contact sensor or in response to near contact sensed by the proximity sensor.

112. The system of claim 100,

wherein the processor comprises a first module and a second module,

wherein the first module is configured to generate the desired first manipulator assembly movements for a given end effector position, and

wherein the second module is configured to drive the first manipulator assembly so as to enhance a range of available joint states for a given movement of the first manipulator by avoiding a singularity of the first manipulator.

113. A master-slave robotic system comprising:

a first manipulator assembly having a first end effector that can move in a workspace, the first manipulator assembly having a plurality of alternative joint states for a first end effector position in the workspace;

a second manipulator assembly having a second end effector that can move in the workspace, the second manipulator assembly being configured to transmit state signals indicating movement of the second manipulator assembly;

an input device configured to receive an input for a first desired movement of the first end effector within the workspace; and

a processor coupled to the input device, the first manipulator assembly, and the second manipulator assembly, the processor being configured to determine a movement of the first manipulator assembly in response to the input for the first desired movement taking into consideration the second manipulator assembly state signals so as to inhibit collisions between the first and second manipulator assemblies, the processor controlling movement of the first end effector in effecting the first desired movement.

114. A robotic method comprising:

robotically 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 first end effector position in a workspace;

robotically moving a second end effector of a second manipulator assembly;

transmitting signals from the second manipulator assembly, the signals indicating movement of the second manipulator assembly;

receiving an input 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 first desired movement and the signals so as to inhibit collisions between the manipulators, and so that the first end effector effects the first desired movement.