# US 11,737,838 B2 · Robotic hand controller > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,737,838 B2 - Document ID: US11737838B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/651,547 - Filed: 2022-02-17 - Published: 2022-06-02 - Granted: 2023-08-29 - Earliest claimed: 2008-08-22 - Assignees: Titan Medical Inc. - Applicants: Titan Medical Inc. - Inventors: Uwe Schaible; Drazena Brocilo; John Harmen - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11737838B2 ## CPC - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 17/00234: {for minimally invasive surgery (A61B17/0218, A61B17/0469, A61B17/12013, A61B17/1285, A61B17/29, A61B17/320016 take precedence)} - A61B 34/37: Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) - A61B 34/74: {Manipulators with manual electric input means} - A61B 34/76: {Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback} - A61B 90/50: Supports for surgical instruments, e.g. articulated arms - B25J 9/1633: {compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control} - B25J 9/1689: {Teleoperation} - B25J 13/025: {comprising haptic means} - A61B 2017/00199: {with a console, e.g. a control panel with a display} - A61B 2034/301: {for introducing or steering flexible instruments inserted into the body, e.g. catheters or endoscopes} - G05B 2219/35419: Four and more-DOF hand controller, joystick, manipulandum - G05B 2219/39439: Joystick, handle, lever controls manipulator directly, manually by operator - G05B 2219/40144: Force sensation feedback from follower - G05B 2219/45117: Medical, radio surgery manipulator - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - B25J: MANIPULATORS; CHAMBERS PROVIDED WITH MANIPULATION DEVICES ({manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery A61B34/70; manipulators used in cleaning hollow articles B08B9/04}; manipulators associated with rolling mills B21B39/20; manipulators associated with forging machines B21J13/10; {manipulators associated with picking-up and placing mechanisms B23P19/007}; means for holding wheels or parts thereof B60B30/00; {vehicles with ground-engaging propulsion means, e.g. walking members B62D57/02, B62D57/032; devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials between conveyors B65G47/90, B65G47/91; manipulators with gripping or holding means for transferring packages B65H67/065}; cranes B66C; {manipulators used in the protection or supervision of pipe-line installations F17D5/00; walking equipment adapted for nuclear steam-generators F22B37/006}; manipulators specially adapted for, or associated with, nuclear reactors G21C; {apparatus used for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor H10P72/50}) - G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G) ## Abstract A hand controller for enabling a user to perform an activity and method for controlling a robotic arm is provided. The hand controller includes a bar with a grip and a plurality of motors to provide a force feedback to the user in response to the movement of the plurality of mechanical arms. The method involves receiving input corresponding to the manipulation of a bar and providing a force feedback in response to the movement of the plurality of mechanical arms. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A hand controller for controlling an end-effector of a surgical tool in a robotic surgical system, comprising: a contoured support bar having a lower stem and an upper head that extends generally transverse to the lower stem, at least a portion of the upper head having a greater width than the lower stem, a posterior side of the lower stem having a contoured rear surface, the lower stem having a connector for operatively connecting the hand controller to a console, the contoured support bar configured to receive a user's hand thereon so that a thumb of the user's hand extends over a medial side of the upper head, an index finger of the user's hand extends relative to a lateral side of the upper head, and a palm of the user's hand extends at least partially about the contoured rear surface of the lower stem; and a finger support member on the lateral side of the upper head and configured to support an index finger of the user's hand, the finger support member having a ring configured to support at least a portion of the index finger. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The hand controller of claim 1, further comprising a clutch actuator disposed on or in the contoured support bar, the clutch actuator selectively actuatable by the user to enable movement of the hand controller without corresponding movement of the surgical tool. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The hand controller of claim 1, further comprising a user interface member on the medial side of the upper head and configured to be actuated by the thumb of the user's hand. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The hand controller of claim 1, further comprising a control button on an anterior side of the contoured support bar and configured to be actuated by a finger of the user's hand. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The hand controller of claim 1, further comprising one or more sensors configured to sense a presence of at least a portion of the user's hand. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The hand controller of claim 1, further comprising one or more force feedback actuators configured to provide force feedback to the user. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The hand controller of claim 6, wherein the one or more force feedback actuators provide a tactile force feedback configured to convey a textural effect. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The hand controller of claim 6, wherein the one or more force feedback actuators provide force feedback to the user via the finger support member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The hand controller of claim 6, wherein the one or more force feedback actuators are vibration motors that provide vibration feedback to the user. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The hand controller of claim 9, wherein the one or more vibration motors are operable to provide a vibration sufficient to allow the user to interpolate a pressure being applied by an end-effector operated by the hand controller. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The hand controller of claim 1, further comprising a user interface member actuatable to switch association of the hand controller between different robotic arms of the robotic surgical system. ### Claim 12 A hand controller for controlling an end-effector of a surgical tool in a robotic surgical system, comprising: a contoured support bar having a lower stem and an upper head that extends generally transverse to the lower stem, at least a portion of the upper head having a greater width than the lower stem, a posterior side of the lower stem having a contoured rear surface, the lower stem having a connector for connecting the hand controller to a console, the lower stem transitioning to the upper head via a curved anterior surface, the contoured support bar configured to receive a user's hand thereon so that a thumb of the user's hand extends over a medial side of the upper head, an index finger of the user's hand extends relative to a lateral side of the upper head, and a palm of the user's hand extends at least partially about the contoured rear surface of the lower stem; and a finger support member on the lateral side of the upper head and configured to support an index finger of the user's hand, the finger support member having a ring configured to support at least a portion of the index finger. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The hand controller of claim 12, further comprising a clutch actuator disposed on or in the contoured support bar, the clutch actuator selectively actuatable by the user to enable movement of the hand controller without corresponding movement of the surgical tool. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The hand controller of claim 12, further comprising a user interface member on the medial side of the upper head and configured to be actuated by the thumb of the user's hand. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The hand controller of claim 12, further comprising a control button on an anterior side of the contoured support bar and configured to be actuated by a finger of the user's hand. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The hand controller of claim 12, further comprising one or more sensors configured to sense a presence of at least a portion of the user's hand. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The hand controller of claim 12, further comprising one or more force feedback actuators configured to provide force feedback to the user. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The hand controller of claim 17, wherein the one or more force feedback actuators provide a tactile force feedback configured to convey a textural effect. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The hand controller of claim 17, wherein the one or more force feedback actuators provide force feedback to the user via the finger support member. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The hand controller of claim 17, wherein the one or more force feedback actuators are vibration motors that provide vibration feedback to the user. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The hand controller of claim 20, wherein the one or more vibration motors are operable to provide a vibration sufficient to allow the user to interpolate a pressure being applied by an end-effector operated by the hand controller. ### Claim 22 (depends on 12) The hand controller of claim 12, further comprising a user interface member actuatable to switch association of the hand controller between different robotic arms of the robotic surgical system.