# US 2010/0168918 A1 · Obtaining force information in a minimally invasive surgical procedure > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2010/0168918 A1 - Document ID: US20100168918A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/428,108 - Filed: 2009-04-22 - Published: 2010-07-01 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-31 - Assignees: Intuitive Surgical, Inc. - Inventors: Wenyi Zhao; Tao Zhao; David Q. Larkin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20100168918A1 ## CPC - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/37: Leader-follower robots (A61B34/35 takes precedence) - A61B 34/76: {Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback} - B25J 9/1689: {Teleoperation} - A61B 2034/102: {Modelling of surgical devices, implants or prosthesis} - A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension} - G05B 2219/40144: Force sensation feedback from follower - 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 Methods of and a system for providing force information for a robotic surgical system. The method includes storing first kinematic position information and first actual position information for a first position of an end effector; moving the end effector via the robotic surgical system from the first position to a second position; storing second kinematic position information and second actual position information for the second position; and providing force information regarding force applied to the end effector at the second position utilizing the first actual position information, the second actual position information, the first kinematic position information, and the second kinematic position information. Visual force feedback is also provided via superimposing an estimated position of an end effector without force over an image of the actual position of the end effector. Similarly, tissue elasticity visual displays may be shown. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of providing force information for a robotic surgical system, the method comprising: storing first kinematic position information and first actual position information for a first position of an end effector; moving the end effector via the robotic surgical system from the first position to a second position; storing second kinematic position information and second actual position information for the second position; and providing force information regarding force applied to the end effector at the second position utilizing the first actual position information, the second actual position information, the first kinematic position information, and the second kinematic position information. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the force information is derived from a difference between a change between the first actual position information and second actual position information and a change between the first kinematic position information and the second kinematic position information, the force information comprising a difference in force applied to the end effector between the first and second positions. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising calculating an offset between the first kinematic position information and the first actual position information, and utilizing the offset at the second position to compare the difference. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, further comprising calculating actual force on the end effector from the difference based on deflection of the end effector. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first actual position information and the second actual position information each comprise visual information about the position of the end effector. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a representation of force utilizing the force information. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein displaying a representation of force comprises displaying (1) a first image representing the second kinematic position information and (2) a second image representing the second actual position information. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the second image comprises a visual representation of the end effector. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the second image comprises a video image of the end effector. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the first image comprises a visual representation of the second kinematic information. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein displaying comprises displaying on a viewer of a surgeon console of the robotic surgical system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the visual representation comprises a synthetic representation of the tool. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the synthetic representation comprises a model of the tool. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein the model comprises a three-dimensional model of the tool. ### Claim 15 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein displaying comprises displaying on a viewer of a surgeon console of the robotic surgical system. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the second image comprises a visual representation of the end effector. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the second image comprises a video image of the end effector. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second position is selectable by a user of the robotic surgical system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first position is selected based upon an event. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first position is selectable by a user of the robotic surgical system. ### Claim 21 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the force information is combined with additional force information. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of claim 21, wherein the additional force information comprises information derived from active force sensors. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the active force sensors comprise force sensors located at the end effector. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the end effector is supported by a linkage having one or more joints, and wherein the active force sensors comprise sensors located at the one or more joints. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method of claim 22, wherein the end effector is supported by a linkage having joints, and further comprising: determining joint errors from positions of the joints with respect to a commanded position of the joints; correcting the joints toward the command position; and wherein the additional force information comprises information derived from the correcting of the joints. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the end effector is supported by a linkage having joints, and wherein the kinematic position information comprises information about joint states of the linkage. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26, further comprising: determining joint errors from positions of the joints with respect to a commanded position of the joints; and correcting the joints toward the command position to a corrected position; and wherein information about joint states of the linkage comprises information about the joints at the corrected position. ### Claim 28 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the force information is filtered to focus on forces applied at or adjacent the end effector. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28, wherein the end effector is supported by a linkage having joints, and further comprising: determining joint errors from positions of the joints with respect to a commanded position of the joints; correcting the joints toward the command position; and utilizing the correction of the joints to filter the force information. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The method of claim 29, wherein the correction of the joints is utilized to generate second force information, and wherein filtering the force information comprises subtracting the second force information. ### Claim 31 An assembly for providing force information within a robotic system, the assembly comprising: a first input for first kinematic position information from joint states of a linkage while the linkage supports an end effector at a first position; a second input for actual position information; and a module coupled with the first input and the second input, the module providing force information regarding force applied to the end effector at the first position in response to the first kinematic position information and the first visual position information. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The assembly of claim 31, wherein the force information is derived by the module from a difference between (1) a change between first actual position information as the end effector is moved and (2) a change between the first kinematic position information as the end effector is moved, the force information comprising a difference in force applied to the end effector between the first and second positions. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The assembly of claim 32, wherein the module is configured to calculate actual force on the end effector from the difference based on deflection of the end effector. ### Claim 34 (depends on 31) The assembly of claim 31, wherein the second input comprises video feed from an image capture device. ### Claim 35 (depends on 31) The assembly of claim 31, further comprising a display component for displaying a representation of force utilizing the force information. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The assembly of claim 35, wherein the display component is configured to display a representation of force comprising (1) a first image representing the second kinematic position information and (2) a second image representing the second actual position information. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The assembly of claim 36, wherein the second image comprises a synthetic representation of the tool. ### Claim 38 (depends on 37) The assembly of claim 37, wherein the synthetic representation comprises a model of the tool. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The assembly of claim 38, wherein the model comprises a three-dimensional model of the tool. ### Claim 40 (depends on 31) The assembly of claim 31, further comprising a user selection component for selecting the first position. ### Claim 41 (depends on 31) The assembly of claim 31, wherein the force information is combined by the module with additional force information. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The assembly of claim 41, wherein the additional force information comprises information derived from active force sensors. ### Claim 43 (depends on 42) The assembly of claim 42, wherein the active force sensors comprise force sensors located at the end effector. ### Claim 44 (depends on 42) The assembly of claim 42, wherein the end effector is supported by a linkage having one or more joints, and wherein the active force sensors comprise sensors located at the one or more joints. ### Claim 45 (depends on 41) The assembly of claim 41, wherein the end effector is supported by a linkage having joints, and wherein the additional force information comprises information derived from correcting of the positions of the joints. ### Claim 46 (depends on 31) The assembly of claim 31, further comprising a filter to focus the force information on forces applied at or adjacent the end effector.