Robotic system and method for reorienting a surgical instrument moving along a tool path

• US 9,681,920 B2
• Filed: 06/15/2015
• Issued: 06/20/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stryker Corporation
• Inventors: Culp, Jerry A., Bowling, David Gene, Stuart, John Michael, Malackowski, Donald W., Roessler, Patrick, Moctezuma de la Barrera, Jos Luis, Beer, Joel N., Ketchel, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tissot, Adam
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEBER, TAMARA L
• Application Number:
  US14/739,146
• Publication Number:
  US 20150289941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/16 Bone cutting, breaking or removal means other than saws, e.g. Osteoclasts; Drills or chisels for bones; Trepans arthroscopic bone cutters A61B17/320016; dental implant drills potentially for other surgical use A61C8/0089; bone grinders A61F2/4644, A22C17/06; A61B17/1662 takes precedence over all other subgroups except A61B17/17
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 17/1626 Control means; Display units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/148 having a short, rigid shaft for accessing the inner body transcutaneously, e.g. for neurosurgery or arthroscopy
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00565 Bone
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00601 Cutting
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/107 Visualisation of planned trajectories or target regions
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2034/2046 Tracking techniques
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2090/066 for measuring torque
• 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 34/32 operating autonomously
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/37 Master-slave robots A61B34/35 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/70 Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 34/76 Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/00 Controls for manipulators programme controls B25J9/16; control in general G05
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 13/085 Force or torque sensors B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/009 being mechanically linked with one another at their distal ends
• CPC Class Codes: B25J 9/1633 compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/40191 Autonomous manipulation, computer assists operator during manipulation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45117 Medical, radio surgery manipulator
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 : for local operation

Abstract

Robotic system and method for positioning an energy applicator extending from a surgical instrument. The robotic system includes a surgical manipulator operable in a manual mode or a semi-autonomous mode. The surgical manipulator moves the energy applicator along a tool path in the semi-autonomous mode, monitors output of a force/torque sensor as the energy applicator moves along the tool path, and reorients the surgical instrument based on the output in response to a user applying reorienting forces and torques to the surgical instrument.

Claims

1. A robotic system for positioning an energy applicator extending from a surgical instrument, said system comprising:

a surgical manipulator having a plurality of links and a plurality of actuators for moving said plurality of links to position the energy applicator with respect to target tissue; and

at least one controller configured to;

control operation of said surgical manipulator in a manual mode or a semi-autonomous mode;

model the surgical instrument and the energy applicator as a virtual rigid body; and

determine forces and torques to apply to the virtual rigid body to advance the energy applicator along a tool path in said semi-autonomous mode, wherein the energy applicator is constrained along the tool path for removing a predefined section of the target tissue; and

a force/torque sensor coupled to said surgical manipulator and configured to generate an output representing forces and torques,

said surgical manipulator configured to;

move the energy applicator along the tool path in said semi-autonomous mode;

monitor said output of said force/torque sensor as the energy applicator moves along the tool path; and

reorient the surgical instrument based on said output in response to a user applying reorienting forces and torques to the surgical instrument while the energy applicator moves along the tool path, said surgical manipulator configured to reorient the surgical instrument simultaneously with moving the energy applicator along the tool path.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said surgical manipulator is configured to reorient the surgical instrument based on said output in response to actuation of a button.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said surgical manipulator is configured to reorient the surgical instrument until said button is released.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one controller includes a tool orientation regulator configured to control an orientation of the surgical instrument as the energy applicator moves along the tool path in said semi-autonomous mode.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said tool orientation regulator is configured to output an orientation force to control the orientation of the surgical instrument.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said at least one controller includes a force overrider configured to compare said orientation force to a limit value and said at least one controller is configured to transition said surgical manipulator from said semi-autonomous mode to said manual mode if said orientation force exceeds said limit value.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said at least one controller is configured to transition said surgical manipulator from said semi-autonomous mode to said manual mode if said orientation force exceeds said limit value for a designated time period.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein said at least one controller includes a manipulator controller and a plurality of joint motor controllers, said plurality of joint motor controllers configured to control said plurality of actuators to move the energy applicator in one or more degrees of freedom.

9. A method for positioning an energy applicator extending from a surgical instrument of a robotic system, the system comprising the surgical instrument being coupled to a surgical manipulator having a plurality of links and a plurality of actuators for moving the plurality of links to position the energy applicator with respect to target tissue and at least one controller configured to control operation of the surgical manipulator in a manual mode or a semi-autonomous mode, said method comprising the steps of:

modeling the surgical instrument and the energy applicator as a virtual rigid body;

determining forces and torques to apply to the virtual rigid body to advance the energy applicator along a tool path in the semi-autonomous mode wherein the energy applicator is constrained along the tool path for removing a predefined section of the target tissue;

moving the energy applicator along the tool path in the semi-autonomous mode;

monitoring output of a force/torque sensor as the energy applicator moves along the tool path; and

reorienting the surgical instrument based on the output in response to a user applying reorienting forces and torques to the surgical instrument while the energy applicator moves along the tool path, wherein reorienting the surgical instrument occurs simultaneously with moving the energy applicator along the tool path.

10. The method of claim 9 including reorienting the surgical instrument based on the output in response to actuation of a button.

11. The method of claim 10 including reorienting the surgical instrument until the button is released.

12. The method of claim 9 including controlling an orientation of the surgical instrument as the energy applicator moves along the tool path in the semi-autonomous mode.

13. The method of claim 12 including outputting an orientation force to control the orientation of the surgical instrument.

14. The method of claim 13 including comparing the orientation force to a limit value and transitioning the surgical manipulator from the semi-autonomous mode to the manual mode if the orientation force exceeds the limit value.

15. The method of claim 14 including transitioning the surgical manipulator from the semi-autonomous mode to the manual mode if the orientation force exceeds the limit value for a designated time period.

16. The method of claim 9 including controlling the plurality of actuators to move the energy applicator in one or more degrees of freedom.

17. The method of claim 9 wherein removing the predefined section of target tissue occurs so that an implant can be fitted to the patient.