Articulated robotic platform
An articulated robotic platform is provided as an end-actuator intended to be fitted to an articulated robotic arm. One use of the articulated robotic platform is to more accurately guide surgical tools during a surgical intervention making it possible to achieve positional accuracy on the level of millimeters or fractions of a millimeter. The articulated robotic platform includes support members attached to the patient or anchoring the articulated robotic platform onto a clamp. The support members of the articulated robotic platform are capable of changing in length, and this change can be monitored by an extension measurement sensor fitted to one or more of the support members. The controller, when provided with feedback information of the extension measurement and direction of several of the legs, can calculate accurately the position of the articulated robotic platform relative to an intervention area of a patient.
1. An articulated robotic platform for medical tool positioning, comprising:
a medical tool support;
a plurality of support members connected to the medical tool support, wherein at least one support member comprises an articulated connection to the medical tool support and a distal end configured to be directly attached to an anchor member provided as a fiducial marker; and
a first joint portion configured to secure the articulated robotic platform in a controlled spatial relationship to an articulated robotic arm,
wherein the articulated robotic platform further comprises at least one positioning sensor configured for determining a position of the articulated robotic platform, wherein the at least one positioning sensor is at least partly disposed at the at least one support member,
wherein the articulated robotic platform is configured to move along an intervention path defined by a plurality of independent anchor members by repositioning the at least one support member at a next anchor member along the intervention path, the next anchor member provided as a next fiducial marker, by directly attaching the distal end of the at least one support member to the next fiducial marker.
2. The articulated robotic platform according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one positioning sensor further comprises an optical navigation sensor and/or an x-ray navigation sensor.
3. The articulated robotic platform according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one positioning sensor further comprises:
at least one extension measurement sensor configured to measure an extension of the at least one support member; and/or
at least one angle sensor configured for measuring an angle between the at least one support member and the medical tool support.
4. The articulated robotic platform according to claim 3 , wherein the at least one extension measurement sensor comprises a tensionable cord fixed to a distal portion of the at least one support member and a cord tensioning reel comprised in a proximal portion of the at least one support member and/or the medical tool support.
5. The articulated robotic platform according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one support member comprises an anchor member sensor configured to identify between at least first and second different types of fiducial markers.
6. The articulated robotic platform according to claim 1 , wherein one or more of: the articulated robotic platform, a portion of the at least one support member, and/or the first joint portion comprise a radiopaque material.
7. The articulated robotic platform according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a support hub,
wherein the medical tool support, the plurality of support members, and the first joint portion are attached to the support hub.
8. The articulated robotic platform according to claim 1 , further comprising:
an actuator configured to move the at least one support member.
9. The articulated robotic platform according to claim 1 , wherein the articulated robotic arm comprises:
a plurality of articulated arm sections, wherein a distal articulated arm section of the plurality of articulated arm sections is supported by a base support, wherein a proximal articulated arm section of the plurality of articulated arm sections comprises a second joint portion configured to secure the proximal articulated arm section to the articulated robotic platform,
wherein the articulated robotic arm is configured to apply a counterbalancing force against a balancing force of the articulated robotic platform to thus stabilize the articulated robotic platform.
10. The articulated robotic platform according to claim 9 , further comprising:
a force sensor configured to measure force applied to the articulated robotic platform at the first joint portion; and
a processor configured to:
receive positioning data from the at least one positioning sensor;
calculate a required force demand to be applied by the articulated robotic arm; and
communicate the required force demand to the articulated robotic arm via the first joint portion to enable the articulated robotic platform to be held in a stable equilibrium.
11. The articulated robotic platform according to claim 1 , wherein parts of the at least one positioning sensor are disposed at the medical tool support and parts of the at least one positioning sensor are disposed at the distal end of the at least one support member.
12. The articulated robotic platform according to claim 1 , wherein the articulated robotic platform is made of a disposable material and is disposable and/or the articulated robotic platform is made of a lightweight material and a total weight of the articulated robotic platform is in a range of 25 grams to 250 grams.
13. The articulated robotic platform according to claim 1 , wherein the distal end of the at least one support member has a lockable end adapted to enable engagement with and disengagement from the anchor member.
14. A system for controlling a position of an articulated robotic platform in proximity to a patient, the system comprising:
an articulated robotic arm including a plurality of articulated arm sections, wherein a distal articulated arm section of the plurality of articulated arm sections is supported by a base support, wherein a proximal articulated arm section of the plurality of articulated arm sections comprises a second joint portion; and
the articulated robotic platform comprising:
a medical tool support;
a plurality of support members connected to the medical tool support, wherein at least one support member comprises an articulated connection to the medical tool support and a distal end configured to be directly attached to an anchor member provided as a fiducial marker;
a first joint portion configured to secure the articulated robotic platform in a controlled spatial relationship to the articulated robotic arm; and
at least one positioning sensor configured for determining a position of the articulated robotic platform, wherein the at least one positioning sensor is at least partly disposed at the at least one support member,
wherein the first joint portion of the articulated robotic platform is connected to the second joint portion of the articulated robotic arm to enable the articulated robotic platform to balance against a counterbalancing force provided, in operation, by the articulated robotic arm to stabilize the articulated robotic platform,
wherein the articulated robotic platform is configured to move along an intervention path defined by a plurality of independent anchor members by repositioning the at least one support member at a next anchor member along the intervention path, the next anchor member provided as a next fiducial marker, by directly attaching the distal end of the at least one support member to the next fiducial marker.
15. The system according to claim 14 , further comprising:
a controller,
wherein the controller is configured to:
acquire position configuration data of the articulated robotic arm, position configuration data of the articulated robotic platform, and registration data of registration between the articulated robotic arm and the articulated robotic platform; and
generate control data for at least one of the plurality of support members, the articulated robotic arm, and the second joint portion of the articulated robotic arm and/or the first joint portion of the articulated robotic platform based on the position configuration data of the articulated robotic arm, the position configuration data of the articulated robotic platform, and the registration data,
wherein the generated control data is calculated to (i) cause the articulated robotic platform to be held in a stable equilibrium against a counterforce provided by the articulated robotic arm; or (ii) to cause the articulated robotic platform to move relative to an anchor member to which the articulated robotic platform is attached.
16. The system according to claim 15 , further comprising:
at least one image sensor or video sensor arranged to obtain an image or a video of a region of interest, the articulated robotic arm, and the articulated robotic platform,
wherein the at least one image sensor or video sensor is configured to acquire an image and/or a video of an anchor member, the articulated robotic platform, and the articulated robotic arm in the region of interest, and
wherein the controller is configured to generate a mapping of the anchor member to the at least one support member of the articulated robotic platform using the image and/or the video acquired from the at least one image sensor or video sensor.
17. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the controller is further configured to:
instruct the articulated robotic arm to cooperate and move with the articulated robotic platform as the articulated robotic platform is moved to a new position.
18. The system according to claim 15 , wherein the distal end of the at least one support member comprises an anchor member sensor such that the distal end is adapted to:
detect an identity of the anchor member the distal end is attached to or is set to be attached to; and
transmit information about the identity of the anchor member to the controller via the first joint portion or a wireless connection.