User input devices for controlling manipulation of guidewires and catheters

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12089912-B2
Application number	US-202017078785-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 23, 2020
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Sep 17, 2024
Grant date	Sep 17, 2024

Abstract

A robotic surgical system with an input device has two operational modes by which both steerable and non-steerable elongate instruments can be effectively controlled, such as steerable catheters which can move in at least three orthogonal axes and non-steerable guidewires which can move via axial insertion/retraction or axial rotation. The robotic surgical system may include mapping schemes and haptic feedback to enhance the functionality, operation and ease of use of the input device when controlling non-steerable elongate instruments such as guidewires.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A robotic surgical system, comprising:
(a) at least one instrument driver configured to couple to an elongate instrument defining a longitudinal axis, the at least one instrument driver being further configured to impart axial movement along the longitudinal axis, axial rotation about the longitudinal axis, and articulation to the elongate instrument;
(b) at least one control computer electrically coupled to the instrument driver to actuate the instrument driver in response to electronic signals; and
(c) at least one input device having an input shaft configured for movement in at least three dimensions and electrically coupled to the control computer to provide electronic signals to the control computer that corresponds to movement of the input device;
wherein the input device is configured to operate in at least two operation modes, with one operation mode that permits movement of the input shaft in at least three dimensions and at least a second operation mode that limits the movement of the input shaft to two dimensions of movement within a plane.

2. The robotic surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the two dimensions of movement of the second operation mode corresponds to linear movement and axial rotation of the elongate instrument.

3. The robotic surgical system of claim 2 , further comprising a second instrument driver configured to impart linear movement and axial rotation to the elongate instrument when the input device is in the second operation mode.

4. The robotic surgical system of claim 2 , in which at least one of the at least three dimensions further comprises a position control zone and a velocity control zone and comprising a haptic detent on a border between the position control zone and the velocity control zone.

5. The robotic surgical system of claim 2 , wherein the second operational mode uses a third dimension for switching between virtual maps related to linear motion control, haptic feedback or both.

6. The robotic surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the input device is a joystick.

7. The robotic surgical system of claim 1 , wherein the control computer is configured to generate haptic signals to the input device.

8. The robotic surgical system of claim 7 , wherein the haptic signals generated from the control computer are translated into haptic signals which cause resistance on the input shaft against movement in at least one of the two dimensions of movement of the second operation mode.

9. The robotic surgical system of claim 7 , wherein the input device is configured to apply detents to impede movement in one dimension.

10. The robotic surgical system of claim 7 , wherein movement of the input shaft in a second dimension has more resistance than movement of the input shaft in a first dimension.

11. The robotic surgical system of claim 7 , wherein movement of the input shaft in a second dimension is characterized by increased resistance until a predetermined peak resistance is reached.

12. The robotic surgical system of claim 11 , wherein the resistance against movement along the second dimension is repeated.

13. The robotic surgical system of claim 7 , wherein an intensity of a feedback resistance increases until a peak resistance effecting a detent which can be overcome to impart a predetermined amount of rotation to the elongate instrument.

14. The robotic surgical system of claim 13 , wherein the peak resistance corresponds to a predetermined angle of rotation imparted to a proximal end of the elongate instrument.

15. The robotic surgical system of claim 7 , wherein algorithms implemented by the control computer to determine the haptic signals are mapped to a corrugated floor with one dimension of the at least three dimensions including a fixed haptic signal and another dimension of the at least three dimensions having a variable haptic signal, the algorithms being stored in a non-transitory medium.

16. The robotic surgical system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one monitor to provide imaging information.

17. A robotic surgical system, comprising:
at least one control computer electrically coupled to an input device and configured to provide haptic signals to the input device;
wherein the input device is operational in two dimensions of movement and configured to direct movement of an elongate instrument and configured to generate haptic effects in response to haptic signals communicated from the control computer;
wherein one of the two dimensions of movement of the input device comprises two operational zones, said two operational zones of the movement of the input device relate to broad and precise linear motion of the elongate instrument and the haptic effects comprise a detent on a border between the two operational zones of the movement of the input device, wherein one operational zone of said two operational zones relates to the broad linear motion of the elongate instrument, wherein the other operational zone of said two operational zones relates to the precise linear motion of the elongate instrument.

18. The robotic surgical system of claim 17 , wherein the input device is a joystick.

19. A robotic surgical system, comprising:
at least one control computer electrically coupled to an input device and configured to provide haptic signals to the input device;
wherein the input device is operational in two dimensions of movement;
wherein the input device is configured to direct movement of an elongate instrument;
wherein the input device is configured to generate haptic effects in response to haptic signals communicated from the control computer;
wherein one of the two dimensions of movement of the input device comprises two operational zones;
wherein said two operational zones of movement of the input device relate to broad and precise motion of the elongate instrument, wherein one operational zone of said two operational zones relates to the broad motion of the elongate instrument, wherein the other operational zone of said two operational zones relates to the precise motion of the elongate instrument;
wherein the haptic effects comprise a detent on a border between the two operational zones of movement of the input device.

20. The robotic surgical system of claim 19 , the haptic effects being configured to reduce angular motion.

Assignees

• Auris Health Inc

Inventors

• Hsu Jason Joseph
• Park June
• Bhatt Ruchi Choksi

Classifications

• A61B34/30

  Surgical robots · CPC title

• A61B2034/301

  for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes · CPC title

• A61B2034/742

  Joysticks · CPC title

• A61B34/76 Primary

  Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback · CPC title