# US 2018/0021058 A1 · Sensorizing robotic surgical system access ports > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0021058 A1 - Document ID: US20180021058A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/521,015 - Filed: 2015-10-14 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2014-10-24 - Assignees: Covidien LP - Applicants: Covidien LP - Inventors: Dwight Meglan - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021058A1 ## CPC - A61B 17/3423: {Access ports, e.g. toroid shape introducers for instruments or hands (access sites for liquids A61M39/0247)} - A61B 34/30: Surgical robots - A61B 34/35: for telesurgery - A61B 34/76: {Manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback} - A61B 2034/302: {specifically adapted for manipulations within body cavities, e.g. within abdominal or thoracic cavities} - A61B 2090/064: {for measuring force, pressure or mechanical tension} - A61B 2090/065: {for measuring contact or contact pressure} - A61B 2090/0811: {for the position of a particular part of an instrument with respect to the rest of the instrument, e.g. position of the anvil of a stapling instrument} - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) ## Abstract A robotic surgical system includes an access port having a plurality of sensors incorporated therein and a surgical instrument having an end effector for use with, and connection to a robot arm. The sensors measure a loading parameter between tissue and the access port when the shaft is inserted through the access port. The sensors wirelessly transmit signals indicative of the loading parameter to a processing unit. The estimated loads at the tip of the end effector of the surgical instrument are provided in real-time to a haptic feedback interface for communicating haptic feedback to a user. The haptic feedback increases or decreases in intensity in response to a specific event, occurrence, or operational characteristic related to the estimated loads. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A robotic surgical system, comprising: an access port including a plurality of first sensors incorporated therein, the access port secured within tissue; and a surgical instrument having an end effector for use with, and connection to a robot arm of the robotic surgical system, the surgical instrument including at least a shaft; wherein the plurality of first sensors are configured to measure at least one loading parameter between tissue and the access port when the shaft is inserted through the access port. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of first sensors transmit signals indicative of the at least one loading parameter to a processing unit of the robotic surgical system. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The robotic surgical system according to claim 2, wherein the transmission of the signals occurs wirelessly and continuously in real-time. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one loading parameter is related to at least one of a force or a torque applied at a tip of the end effector of the surgical instrument. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The robotic surgical system according to claim 1, wherein the robot arm of the robotic surgical system includes a plurality of second sensors for measuring at least one of a force or a torque on the surgical instrument attached to the robot arm of the robotic surgical system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The robotic surgical system according to claim 5, wherein measurements received from the plurality of first and second sensors are combined to estimate loads at a tip of the end effector of the surgical instrument. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The robotic surgical system according to claim 6, wherein the estimated loads at the tip of the end effector of the surgical instrument are provided in real-time to a haptic feedback interface for communicating haptic feedback to a user. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The robotic surgical system according to claim 7, wherein the haptic feedback increases or decreases in intensity in response to a specific event, occurrence, or operational characteristic related to the estimated loads. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The robotic surgical system according to claim 8, wherein the end effector is controlled and/or articulated by at least one motor of a control device of the robotic surgical system, the at least one motor configured to receive the signals from the plurality of first and second sensors to, continuously and in real-time, adjust loads applied at the tip of the end effector of the surgical instrument. ### Claim 10 A surgical access port, comprising: a body member having a proximal end and a distal end, a portion of the body member secured within tissue; and a plurality of sensors embedded within the body member, the plurality of sensors configured to measure at least one loading parameter between tissue and the surgical access port. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The surgical access port according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of sensors transmit signals indicative of the at least one loading parameter to a processing unit of a robotic surgical system mechanically connected to the surgical instrument. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The surgical access port according to claim 11, wherein the transmission of the signals occurs wirelessly and continuously in real-time. ### Claim 13 A method of estimating a load at a tip of an end effector of a surgical instrument mounted on a robot arm of a robotic surgical system, the method comprising: quantifying an access port load of a surgical instrument access port from sensor data received from a sensor located between a tissue of a surgical patient coupled to the surgical instrument access port and a shaft of the surgical instrument in the access port; and adjusting a determined tip load at the end effector of the surgical instrument based at least in part on the measured access port load. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising wirelessly transmitting signals indicative of the access port load from the first sensor to a processing unit of the robotic surgical system. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method according to claim 14, wherein wireless transmission of the signals occurs continuously and in real-time. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, wherein the access port load is related to at least one of a force or a torque applied at the tip of the end effector of the surgical instrument. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The method according to claim 13, further comprising quantifying at least one of a force or a torque on the surgical instrument attached to the robot arm of the robotic surgical system from sensor data of a second sensor in the robot arm of the robotic surgical system. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method according to claim 17, wherein quantifications received from the first and second sensors are combined to compute the estimated load at the tip of the end effector of the surgical instrument. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method according to claim 18, wherein the estimated load at the tip of the end effector of the surgical instrument is provided in real-time to a haptic feedback interface for communicating haptic feedback to a user.