Invented by Tetsuharu Fukushima, Wataru Kokubo, Toshimitsu Tsuboi, Atsushi Miyamoto, Kenichiro Nagasaka, Kenji Hirose, Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc

The market for Medical Robot Arm Apparatus, Medical Robot Arm Control System, Medical Robot Arm Control Method, and Program is witnessing significant growth in recent years. The advancements in technology and the increasing demand for precision and accuracy in medical procedures have propelled the market for these robotic systems. Medical robot arm apparatus refers to the physical structure or device that is used in medical robotics. These apparatuses are designed to mimic the movement and functionality of a human arm, enabling surgeons to perform complex procedures with enhanced precision. The market for medical robot arm apparatus is driven by the rising adoption of minimally invasive surgeries, which require precise and controlled movements. The medical robot arm control system is the software or hardware component that enables the manipulation and control of the robot arm apparatus. These control systems are designed to provide surgeons with intuitive and responsive control over the robot arm, allowing them to perform intricate procedures with ease. The market for medical robot arm control systems is witnessing rapid growth due to the increasing demand for advanced control features and improved user experience. The medical robot arm control method refers to the technique or approach used to control the movement and actions of the robot arm. These control methods can be based on various principles, such as teleoperation, autonomous control, or a combination of both. The market for medical robot arm control methods is driven by the need for precise and accurate control over the robot arm during surgical procedures. The program used in medical robot arm control is the set of instructions or algorithms that govern the movement and actions of the robot arm. These programs are designed to ensure smooth and precise operation of the robot arm, minimizing the risk of errors or accidents during medical procedures. The market for medical robot arm control programs is witnessing significant growth due to the increasing demand for customized and specialized programs that cater to specific surgical procedures. The market for medical robot arm apparatus, control systems, control methods, and programs is driven by several factors. Firstly, the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases and the growing aging population have led to a rise in the number of surgical procedures, creating a need for advanced robotic systems that can enhance surgical outcomes. Secondly, the advancements in technology, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, have enabled the development of more sophisticated and intelligent robot arm systems. These advancements have improved the precision, accuracy, and safety of medical procedures, driving the demand for medical robot arm apparatus, control systems, control methods, and programs. Furthermore, the market is also fueled by the increasing investments in research and development activities by key market players. These investments aim to develop innovative and technologically advanced medical robot arm systems that can cater to the evolving needs of the healthcare industry. Additionally, the rising adoption of robotic-assisted surgeries by hospitals and healthcare facilities is also contributing to the growth of the market. In conclusion, the market for medical robot arm apparatus, control systems, control methods, and programs is experiencing significant growth due to the increasing demand for precision and accuracy in medical procedures. The advancements in technology and the rising adoption of robotic-assisted surgeries are driving the market. As the healthcare industry continues to evolve, the market for these robotic systems is expected to witness further growth and innovation.

The Sony Olympus Medical Solutions Inc invention works as follows

A medical robot arm apparatus is provided with a plurality joint units that are configured to connect multiple links and provide at least six or more degrees in freedom when driving a multi-link configuration configured with the plurality links. The drive control unit controls driving of the joints units according to the states of the units. At least one medical device is a front-edge unit attached to the front edge of a multi-link structure.

Background for Medical Robot Arm Apparatus, Medical Robot Arm Control System, Medical Robot arm Control Method, and Program

In recent years, robots have been used to speed up and improve the accuracy of tasks in both the medical and industrial fields. A robot apparatus, in general, is a multilink structure, in which several links are linked by joint units. As the rotary driving is controlled in the joint units, the driving of the entire robot apparatus can be controlled.

Position control and force-control are the control methods for the robot apparatus, and each joint unit. In position control, an actuator in a joint unit can be given a command value, such as an angle, and the driving of the unit is controlled based on the command value. In force control, an overall robot apparatus can be given a target force value that it will apply to a target task. The joint unit is then controlled so as to achieve the target force.

Position control is used to drive most robots because it is easy to use and the configuration of a system is straightforward. Position control is often referred to as “hard control”. Since position control cannot deal with external forces flexibly and is not suitable for robots performing tasks (purpose of movement) while interacting with the external world (for example a physical interaction with a human), it is not suitable. Force control, on the other hand, has a complex system configuration but can also implement “soft control” Force control is an excellent control method for robots that interact with people physically.

Patent Literature 1 describes a robot that has a movement unit with two wheels, an arm unit with multiple joint units and controls the robot so that both the wheels and joint units are controlled in a coordinated manner (performs whole-body cooperative control).

In force control it is also necessary to detect with high accuracy the torque generated in a joint and the external torque applied to the joint by the outside. This can be done through feedback control or feedforward control. Patent Literature 2 reveals, for example, a torque detector that has a decoupling mechanism and can detect torque with high accuracy, while reducing the influence of vibration as much as possible.

CITATION LIST

Patent Literature

Patent Literature 1: JP 2010-188471A

Patent Literature 2: JP 2011-209099A

Technical Problem

In recent years, there have been attempts in the medical field to use a balanced arm with various medical units installed on a front-edge of an arm unit for various medical procedures, such as surgery or examination. A front edge unit is a unit that has various imaging functions, such as an endoscope or a camera, installed at the front of an arm unit on a balance-arm. The user performs medical procedures, while viewing an image captured by the unit. The balance arm must be equipped with counter-balance weights (also known as counterweights or balancers) to maintain balance of force while the arm unit moves. This increases the size of the device. It is important to have a small device for a medical procedure to ensure a safe task area. However, it is hard to meet this demand with the balance arms that are being proposed. In the balance arm, there is only a limited amount of electric driving. For example, the only driving that is required to move the front-edge unit in a two-dimensional plane is biaxial. Manual positioning of the arm and front edge units is needed by the practitioner. In general, the balance arm is not able to provide stability during photography (for example, accurate positioning of the front-edge unit, vibration reduction, etc.) and a degree freedom of photography that allows for the possibility of taking pictures in different directions.

In light of this situation, it has been suggested that medical robot arms with position control as a driving mechanism could replace balance arms. To reduce the burden of a patient and perform medical procedures more efficiently, a high level of operability is required for driving control. This allows a user to control a position of an arm unit or a front edge device more intuitively. It is difficult to satisfy this user demand in a robot arm device where driving is controlled through position control.

In light of this, it would be desirable to reduce the burden of a patient during a medical procedure and perform the procedure efficiently by using a medical robotic arm apparatus that can control a front-edge unit and an upper arm unit with high stability and freedom of movement. The present disclosure, in this regard, provides a novel medical robot control system, medical robot control method, and program that are capable of improving user convenience, further reducing burden, and further improving the user experience.

Solution to Problem

According to an embodiment, a medical robot-arm apparatus is provided with a plurality joint units configured for connecting a plurality links and implementing at least six or more degrees in freedom when driving a multilink structure configured with a plurality links, as well as a drive control module configured to control the driving of the joints units based upon the states of the units. At least one medical device is a front-edge unit attached to the front edge of a multi-link structure.

According to another embodiment, a medical robotic arm control system is provided. It includes a medical arm apparatus having a plurality joint units configured for connecting a plurality links, a drive unit that controls driving the joint units on the basis of detected states, a whole-body cooperative control unit configured for calculating a value of control to be used in whole-body cooperative control of a multilink structure using generalized inverse dynamic based upon a state of multi-link acquired from the detected states and the purpose of motion At least one medical device is a front-edge unit attached to the front edge of a multi-link structure.

According to a further embodiment of the disclosure, a method of controlling a medical robotic arm includes detecting states of multiple joint units configured to implement at least six or more degrees-of-freedom with respect to the multilink structure configured with a plurality links and controlling driving of each joint unit based on detected states. At least one medical device is a front-edge unit attached to the front edge of a multi-link structure.

According to another embodiment, a program is provided for causing a computing device to execute functions of detecting the states of a plurality joint units configured to link a plurality links and implement atleast 6 or more degrees-of-freedom with respect to the multilink structure configured with the multiple links, as well as a control function to drive the joint units in accordance with the detected states. At least one medical device is a front-edge unit attached to the front edge of a multi-link structure.

According to the present disclosure a robot arm apparatus with a multi-link arm unit has at least six or more degrees freedom. The drive control unit controls each of the joint units that make up the arm unit. A medical apparatus can also be installed on the front edge of an arm unit. “As driving of each joint is controlled in the manner described above, driving control is implemented for an arm unit with a high degree freedom, and a medical robotic arm apparatus that is highly operable for a user.

The Advantageous Effects of Invention

As described above, the present disclosure allows for further improvement of user convenience, and a reduction in burden.

Click here to view the patent on Google Patents.