Systems and methods for docking surgical robotic arms
An apparatus for attaching a cannula to a robotic surgical system, the apparatus comprising: a first clamp component configured to transition between an open position and a closed position; a second clamp component spaced from the first clamp component, the first and second clamp components defining a region configured to receive a portion of the cannula and configured to retain the portion of the cannula in the region when the first clamp component is in the closed position; and a locking component configured to lock the first clamp component in the open position and allow the first clamp component to automatically transition to the closed position based on a position of the portion of the cannula within the region.
1 . A system for detecting an attachment of a cannula to a robotic surgical system, the system comprising:
a clamp assembly having a lever operable to transition the clamp assembly between an open position configured to receive a cannula, and a closed position configured to attach the cannula to a robotic arm of the robotic surgical system;
a sensor assembly comprising a magnetometer operable to sense an orientation of a number of magnets coupled to the lever and the cannula and a characteristic of the clamp assembly; and
one or more processors configured to determine a state of the clamp assembly based on the characteristic sensed by the sensor assembly, and provide feedback to a user relating to the state of the clamp assembly.
2 . The system of claim 1 wherein the number of magnets are fixedly coupled to the lever.
3 . The system of claim 2 wherein the characteristic sensed by the sensor assembly is an angle of the lever that is determined based on the orientation of the number of magnets.
4 . The system of claim 3 wherein the state of the clamp assembly determined by the one or more processors is the open position or the closed position, and is determined based on the angle of the lever.
5 . The system of claim 1 further comprising a visual feedback mechanism or an audio feedback mechanism that indicates to the user the state of the clamp assembly is (1) the cannula is present within the clamp assembly or (2) the cannula has been released from the clamp assembly.
6 . A system for detecting an attachment of a cannula to a robotic surgical system, the system comprising:
a clamp assembly having an open position configured to receive a cannula, and a closed position configured to attach the cannula to a robotic arm of the robotic surgical system;
a sensor assembly comprising a magnetic angle encoder operable to sense an angle of at least one magnet coupled to the cannula and determine a characteristic comprising a type of the cannula based on the angle of the at least one magnet when received by the clamp assembly; and
one or more processors configured to determine a state of the cannula based on the characteristic sensed by the sensor assembly, and provide feedback to a user relating to the state of the cannula.
7 . The system of claim 6 wherein the at least one magnet is arranged at an angle between 30 degrees and 210 degrees.
8 . The system of claim 6 wherein the characteristic of the cannula further comprises a presence of the cannula within a receiving portion of the clamp assembly.
9 . The system of claim 6 wherein the state of the cannula determined based on the characteristic is that the cannula is properly attached to the robotic arm or that the cannula attachment to the robotic arm is released.
10 . The system of claim 6 wherein the robotic surgical system comprises a visual feedback mechanism or an audio feedback mechanism.
11 . A system for detecting an attachment of a cannula to a robotic surgical system, the system comprising:
a clamp assembly configured to attach a cannula to a robotic surgical system, the clamp assembly operable to transition between an open position configured to receive the cannula and a closed position to attach the cannula to the robotic surgical system;
a sensor assembly operable to detect whether the clamp assembly is in the open position or the closed position; and
one or more processors configured to control an attachment of the cannula to the robotic surgical system based on the detection by the sensor assembly, and cause the robotic surgical system to disengage or engage a braking assembly associated with a surgical robotic arm coupled to the clamp assembly depending on whether the clamp assembly is in the open position or the closed position, and
wherein when the sensor assembly detects the clamp assembly is in the open position, the one or more processors cause the robotic surgical system to
disengage the braking assembly associated with a surgical robotic arm coupled to the clamp assembly; and
engage a gravity compensated active back driving mechanism associated with the surgical robotic arm to allow for positioning of the cannula within the clamp assembly.
12 . The system of claim 11 wherein when the sensor assembly detects a transition of the clamp assembly to the closed position, the one or more processors cause the robotic surgical system to engage a braking assembly associated with a surgical robotic arm; and
disengage the gravity compensated active back driving mechanism associated with the surgical robotic arm so that a current position of the cannula relative to the clamp assembly is maintained.
13 . The system of claim 11 wherein when the sensor assembly detects a transition of the clamp assembly to the closed position, the one or more processors cause the robotic surgical system to engage a braking assembly associated with a surgical robotic arm coupled to the cannula; and
disengage the gravity compensated active back driving mechanism associated with the surgical robotic arm.
14 . The system of claim 13 wherein the sensor assembly further detects the cannula is present within the clamp assembly, and upon detecting the cannula is present, the one or more processors cause the robotic surgical system to notify a user that the cannula is attached to the robotic surgical system.
15 . The system of claim 13 wherein the sensor assembly further detects the cannula is present within the clamp assembly, and upon detecting the cannula is present, the one or more processors cause the robotic surgical system to determine a type of cannula; and notify a user of the type of cannula.
16 . The system of claim 13 wherein when the sensor assembly detects a transition of the clamp assembly to the open position, detects the cannula is not present within the clamp assembly, or does not detect a cannula identifier, the one or more processors cause the robotic surgical system to engage a braking assembly associated with a surgical robotic arm; and
notify a user that the robotic surgical system is ready for cannula attachment.