Medical simulation interface apparatus and method

• US 8,007,282 B2
• Filed: 07/25/2008
• Issued: 08/30/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Immersion Corporation
• Inventors: Bailey, David W., Olien, Neil T., Vassallo, Steven P., Gregorio, Pedro
• Primary Examiner(s): Wang; Quan-Zhen
• Assistant Examiner(s): DALRYMPLE, TROY S
• Application Number:
  US12/180,439
• Publication Number:
  US 20090009492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 345/184, 345/156, 434/262, 434/272
• US Class Current: 434/272
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/00707 Dummies, phantoms; Devices simulating patient or parts of patient
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/741 Glove like input devices, e.g. "data gloves"
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/71 Manipulators operated by drive cable mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40122 Manipulate virtual object, for trajectory planning of real object, haptic display
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45118 Endoscopic, laparoscopic manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 23/285 for injections, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, sigmoidscopy, insertion of contraceptive devices or enemas

Abstract

A system and method of providing a surgical training apparatus which comprises a plurality of mechanical interfaces each of which is configured to receive a user tool operable by a user. Each mechanical interface of the plurality is configured to allow movement of its respective user tool in a rotational degree of freedom and a linear degree of freedom. The apparatus includes one or more sensors which are coupled to the mechanical interfaces and configured to simultaneously sense positional information of each user tool during movement. A computer coupled to the one or more sensors and configured to run a software application simulating each user tool as a respective simulated surgical tool operating on a simulated body part in a displayed graphical environment, wherein the computer updates movement of each simulated user tool in the graphical environment based on said positional information.

Claims

1. A surgical training apparatus comprising:

a plurality of mechanical interfaces each configured to receive a user tool operable by a user, each mechanical interface of the plurality configured to allow movement of its respective user tool in a rotational degree of freedom and a linear degree of freedom, the apparatus having one or more sensors coupled to the mechanical interfaces configured to simultaneously track movement of each user tool during operation; and

a computer coupled to the one or more sensors and configured to run a software application simulating each user tool as a respective simulated surgical tool operating on a simulated body part in a displayed graphical environment, wherein the computer updates movement of each simulated user tool in the graphical environment based on said tracked movement.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an actuator coupled to at least one of the mechanical interfaces, wherein the actuator applies a force on the respective user tool in at least the linear degree of freedom.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an actuator coupled to at least one of the mechanical interfaces, wherein the actuator applies a force on the respective user tool in at least one rotary degree of freedom.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors further comprises a first sensor coupled to a first mechanical interface of the plurality of mechanical interfaces, wherein the first sensor tracks movement of a user tool of the first mechanical interface in the rotational degree of freedom.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors further comprises a first sensor coupled to a first mechanical interface of the plurality of mechanical interfaces, wherein the first sensor tracks movement of a user tool of the first mechanical interface in the linear degree of freedom.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the one or more sensors further comprises a second sensor coupled to a second mechanical interface of the plurality of mechanical interfaces, wherein the second sensor tracks movement of a second user tool of the second mechanical interface in the rotational degree of freedom.

7. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the one or more sensors further comprises a second sensor coupled to a second mechanical interface of the plurality of mechanical interfaces, wherein the second sensor tracks movement of a second user tool of the second mechanical interface in the linear degree of freedom.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an electronic interface device coupled to the one or more sensors and separate from the computer, wherein the electronic interface device receives signals regarding the tracked movement from the one or more sensors and provides information of the tracked movement to the computer.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the mechanical interfaces in the plurality is coupled to a base, the at least one mechanical interface further comprising:

an arm coupled to the base; and

a tool receiving member pivotably coupled to the arm, the tool receiving member having an aperture for receiving a shaft of the user tool, wherein the user tool is moveable in the linear degree of freedom along an axis through the aperture of the tool receiving member.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the tool receiving member is configured to allow the shaft of the user tool to rotate about the axis.

11. A method of providing a surgical training apparatus comprising:

selecting a plurality of mechanical interfaces each configured to receive a user tool operable by a user, each mechanical interface of the plurality configured to allow movement of its respective user tool in a rotational degree of freedom and a linear degree of freedom, the apparatus having one or more sensors coupled to the mechanical interfaces configured to simultaneously track movement of each user tool during movement; and

selecting a computer coupled to the one or more sensors, the computer configured to run a software application simulating each user tool as a respective simulated surgical tool operating on a simulated body part in a displayed graphical environment, wherein the computer updates movement of each simulated user tool in the graphical environment based on said tracked movement.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting an actuator coupled to at least one of the mechanical interfaces, wherein the actuator applies a force on the respective user tool in at least the linear degree of freedom.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting an actuator coupled to at least one of the mechanical interfaces, wherein the actuator applies a force on the respective user tool in at least the rotational degree of freedom.

14. A mechanical interface of a surgical training apparatus, comprising:

an arm pivotably coupled to a base; and

a tool receiving member pivotably coupled to the arm, the tool receiving member having an aperture for receiving a shaft of a user tool, wherein the user tool is moveable in a linear degree of freedom along an axis through the aperture of the tool receiving member, the tool receiving member configured to allow the user tool is be moved in at least two rotational degrees of freedom with respect to ground, wherein the mechanical interface is configured to output sensor signals of tracked movement of the user tool during movement via one or more sensors in the rotational and linear degrees of freedom.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a computer coupled to the one or more sensors of the mechanical interface, wherein the one or more sensors provide said output signals, the computer configured to run a software application simulating each user tool as a respective simulated surgical tool operating on a simulated body part in a displayed graphical environment, wherein the computer updates movement of each simulated user tool in the graphical environment based on said sensor signals.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising an actuator configured to apply a force to the user tool when the simulated surgical tool collides with a graphical object in the graphic environment.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the mechanical interface further comprises an electronic interface device coupled to the one or more sensors and separate from the computer, wherein the electronic interface device receives the sensor signals from the one or more sensors and provides the tracked movement to the computer.

18. A surgical training apparatus comprising:

a plurality of mechanical interfaces, each mechanical interface having an arm pivotably coupled to a base and a tool receiving member pivotably coupled to the arm to allow rotation in at least one degree of freedom, the tool receiving member having an aperture for receiving a shaft of a user tool operable by a user, wherein the user tool is moveable in a linear degree of freedom along an axis through the aperture of the tool receiving member;

at least one sensor to track movement of the user tool in at least the linear degree of freedom and output one or more sensor signals regarding said tracked movement; and

a computer coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to run a software application simulating the surgical tool as a simulated surgical tool operating on a simulated body part in a displayed graphical environment, wherein the computer updates movement of the simulated surgical tool in the graphical environment based on said tracked movement from the sensor.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising an actuator coupled to at least one of the plurality of mechanical interfaces, wherein the actuator applies a force to a respective user tool when a corresponding simulated surgical tool collides with the graphical object on the graphic display.

20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the mechanical interface further comprises an electronic interface device coupled to the at least one sensor and separate from the computer, wherein the electronic interface device receives the one or more sensor signals from the one or more sensors and provides information of the tracked movement to the computer.

21. A method of operating a surgical training apparatus comprising:

tracking movement of a first user tool coupled to a first mechanical interface, the first mechanical interface having a first tool receiving member pivotably coupled to an arm, wherein the first tool receiving member includes an aperture configured to receive a shaft of the first user tool therethrough, the first tool receiving member configured allow movement of the first user tool in at least a linear degree of freedom through the aperture;

tracking movement of a second user tool coupled to a second mechanical interface, the second mechanical interface having a second tool receiving member pivotably coupled to an arm, wherein the second tool receiving member includes an aperture configured to receive a shaft of the second user tool therethrough, the second tool receiving member configured allow movement of the second user tool in at least a linear degree of freedom through the aperture; and

sending output signals of tracked movement of said first and second user tools to a computer running a software application simulating said first and second user tools as respective simulated surgical tools operating on a simulated body part in a displayed graphical environment, wherein the computer updates movement of each simulated user tool in the graphical environment based on said output signals.