Method for detecting, based on the measurement or detection of velocities, operating anomalies of an unconstrained master device of a master-slave robotic system for medical or surgical teleoperation and related robotic system

A method for identifying, recognizing and/or discriminating at least one anomaly condition in using a master device, adapted to be held in hand by an operator, to control a slave device of a robotic system for medical or surgical teleoperation, wherein the master device is a hand-held device unconstrained with respect to said robotic system, the method comprising:

• detecting or calculating a velocity vector of at least one point belonging to or integral with the master device, or of a virtual point uniquely and rigidly associated with the master device;
• identifying at least one detectable anomaly based on said at least one detected velocity vector, or based on at least one component of at least one detected position vector,
• wherein said at least one detectable anomaly comprises one or more of the following anomalies:
• excessive linear velocity of the master device, excessive angular velocity of the master device, an inability to follow by the slave device, excessive vibrations of the master device, involuntary or abnormal opening of the master device,
• and wherein each of said at least one detectable anomaly is associated with at least one state system change to be performed if the at least one detectable anomaly is detected, said at least one state change comprising the exit from a teleoperation state or the suspension of the teleoperation state,
• wherein said at least one detectable anomaly is said excessive vibrations of the master device, wherein said step of identifying at least one detectable anomaly comprises:
• detecting or counting a number or frequency of direction changes of the detected or calculated velocity vector of the master device;
• comparing said number or frequency of direction changes with a respective threshold value;
• identifying said anomaly associated with excessive vibrations of the master device if said number or frequency of counted or detected direction changes exceeds said respective threshold value.

A method for identifying, recognizing and/or discriminating at least one anomaly condition in using a master device, adapted to be held in hand by an operator, to control a slave device of a robotic system for medical or surgical teleoperation, wherein the master device is a hand-held device unconstrained with respect to said robotic system, wherein the method comprises:

• detecting or calculating a velocity vector of at least one point belonging to or integral with the master device, or of a virtual point uniquely and rigidly associated with the master device;
• identifying at least one detectable anomaly based on said at least one detected velocity vector, or based on at least one component of at least one detected position vector,
• wherein said at least one detectable anomaly comprises one or more of the following anomalies:
• excessive linear velocity of the master device, excessive angular velocity of the master device, an inability to follow by the slave device, excessive vibrations of the master device, involuntary or abnormal opening of the master device,
• and wherein each of said at least one detectable anomaly is associated with at least one state system change to be performed if the at least one detectable anomaly is detected, said at least one state change comprising the exit from a teleoperation state or the suspension of the teleoperation state,
• wherein the master device comprises a body including two rigid parts constrained in an elastic joint, to at least rotate about a common axis defining a degree of freedom of opening/closing for the master device body, and wherein said at least one detectable anomaly is an involuntary or abnormal opening of said master device,
• wherein said step of identifying at least one detectable anomaly comprises:
• calculating an opening linear velocity of said two rigid parts of the master device body, based on the detected and/or calculated velocity vectors;
• comparing the calculated opening linear velocity with a threshold linear velocity, which depends on elastic rigidity of the elastic joint;
• identifying the anomaly associated with an involuntary opening of the master device if said calculated opening linear velocity is greater than said threshold linear velocity, or
• wherein said step of identifying at least one detectable anomaly comprises:
• calculating an opening angular velocity of said two rigid parts of the master device body, based on the detected and/or calculated velocity vectors;
• comparing the calculated opening angular velocity with a threshold angular velocity, which depends on the elastic rigidity of the elastic joint;
• identifying the anomaly associated with an involuntary opening of the master device if said calculated opening angular velocity is greater than said threshold angular velocity.

A robotic system for medical or surgical teleoperation comprising:

• a master device, mechanically ungrounded with respect to said robotic system and adapted to be hand held by a surgeon during surgery, and configured to detect a manual command of the surgeon and generate a respective first electrical command signal;
• at least one slave device, or robotic slave assembly, comprising at least one slave surgical instrument configured to operate on a patient, in a manner controlled by the master device;
• a control unit provided with a computer, configured to receive said first electrical command signal from the master device, generate a second electrical command signal, based on the first electrical command signal, and provide the second electrical command signal to the at least one slave device or robotic slave assembly, to actuate the at least one slave surgical instrument;
• wherein said control unit is configured to identify at least one anomaly, performing the following steps:
• detecting or calculating a velocity vector of at least one point belonging to or integral with the master device, or of a virtual point uniquely and rigidly associated with the master device;
• identifying and recognizing and/or discriminating at least one detectable anomaly based on said at least one detected velocity vector, or based on at least one component of the at least one detected position vector,
• wherein said at least one detectable anomaly comprises at least one of the following anomalies:
• excessive linear velocity of the master device, excessive angular velocity of the master device, inability to follow by the at least one slave device, excessive vibrations of the master device, involuntary or abnormal opening of the master device,
• and wherein each of said at least one detectable anomaly is associated with at least one state system change to be performed if one or more of the at least one detectable anomaly is detected, said at least one state change comprising exit from the teleoperation state or suspension of the teleoperation state,
• wherein said at least one detectable anomaly is said inability to follow by the at least one slave device, and wherein the control unit is further configured to perform the following steps:
• comparing the measured linear or angular velocity of the master device with a velocity threshold value associated with a maximum linear or angular velocity which is tolerable by the slave device in order to remain under conditions of correct following of the master device;
• identifying said inability to follow by the slave device if the detected linear or angular velocity of the master device exceeds said velocity threshold value associated with a maximum tolerable linear or angular velocity of the slave device,
• or wherein said at least one detectable anomaly is said excessive vibrations of the master device, wherein the control unit is further configured to perform the following steps:
• detecting or counting a number or frequency of direction changes of the detected or calculated velocity vector of the master device;
• comparing said number or frequency of direction changes with a respective threshold value;
• identifying said anomaly associated with excessive vibrations of the master device if said number or frequency of counted or detected direction changes exceeds said respective threshold value,
• or wherein the master device comprises a body including two rigid parts constrained in an elastic joint, to at least rotate about a common axis defining a degree of freedom of opening/closing for the master device body, and wherein said at least one detectable anomaly is said involuntary or abnormal opening of the master device, and
• wherein the control unit is further configured to perform the following steps:
• calculating an opening linear velocity of said two rigid parts of the master device body, based on the detected and/or calculated velocity vectors;
• comparing the calculated opening linear velocity with a threshold linear velocity, which depends on elastic rigidity of the elastic joint;
• identifying the anomaly associated with an involuntary opening of the master device if said calculated opening velocity is greater than said threshold linear velocity, or wherein the control unit is further configured to perform the following steps:
• calculating an opening angular velocity of said two rigid parts of the master device body, based on the detected and/or calculated velocity vectors;
• comparing the calculated opening angular velocity with a threshold angular velocity, which depends on the elastic rigidity of the elastic joint;
• identifying the anomaly associated with an involuntary opening of the master device if said calculated angular velocity is greater than said threshold angular velocity.