# US 2026/0061607 A1 · Method and system for automated and semi-automated ultrasound scanning > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2026/0061607 A1 - Document ID: US20260061607A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 19/316,662 - Filed: 2025-09-02 - Published: 2026-03-05 - Earliest claimed: 2024-08-30 - Assignees: The Governors of the University of Alberta - Applicants: The Governors of the University of Alberta - Inventors: Kumaradevan Punithakumar; Harald Hans Becher; Jacob Jaremko; Michelle Lisa Noga; Pierre Boulanger; Nilanjan Ray; Ahmed Sharif Ahmed; Jonathan David Windram - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20260061607A1 ## CPC - B25J 9/1633: {compliant, force, torque control, e.g. combined with position control} - A61B 8/0883: {for diagnosis of the heart} - A61B 8/4218: {characterised by articulated arms} - A61B 8/54: {Control of the diagnostic device} - B25J 9/1684: {Tracking a line or surface by means of sensors} - B25J 13/085: {Force or torque sensors (B25J13/082, B25J13/084 take precedence)} - B25J 15/0019: {End effectors other than grippers} - G06T 7/0012: {Biomedical image inspection} - G06T 7/30: Determination of transform parameters for the alignment of images, i.e. image registration - G06T 7/70: Determining position or orientation of objects or cameras (camera calibration G06T7/80) - G06T 2207/10132: Ultrasound image - G06T 2207/30004: Biomedical image processing - G06T 2207/30048: Heart; Cardiac - 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}) - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - G06T: IMAGE DATA PROCESSING OR GENERATION, IN GENERAL ## Abstract Disclosed examples generally relate to a robot arm-based ultrasound or echocardiography scanning system configured to mitigate limitations associated with conventional manual scanning, including sonographer strain, restricted field-of-view, and low signal-to-noise image quality. In such examples, the patient is scanned using a transducer mounted on and manipulated by a robot arm. The cardiac structures of subjects are imaged from multiple positions using a 2D and 3D echocardiography scanning system. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A collaborative robot system for ultrasound scanning, comprising: a robot arm; an ultrasound transducer coupled to an end of the robot arm; a controller for controlling movement of the robot arm; at least one processor configured for: determining a goal view; selecting a trained navigation model associated with the goal view; applying the selected navigation model to generate movement coordinates for translating and orienting the robot arm to the goal view; applying a contact maintenance model to generate an orientation command for the transducer; applying a safe actuation model based on the outputs of the navigation model and/or contact maintenance model to generate torque and force outputs to operate the robot arm; and operating the robot arm based on torque and force outputs generated by the safe actuation model. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 configured for echocardiography scanning. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor comprises an image analysis module configured for aligning images generated from scans from different goal views. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the robot arm comprises force and/or torque sensors which modulate the navigation model, the contact maintenance model, and/or the safe actuation model to regulate contact of the transducer with a patient. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4 wherein the contact maintenance model is configured to maintain a consistent orientation and constant contact force with the patient once the transducer is correctly positioned on the patient for the selected goal view. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 which is a 2D or a 3D system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein the safe actuation model permits the robot arm to be moved away from the patient at any time by manual force. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the navigation model is configured to receive an input comprising one or more of (i) an ultrasound image generated by the transducer at its current position; (ii) coordinates of the robot arm at its current position; and (iii) electrocardiogram (ECG) data obtained from ECG probes attached to the patient. ### Claim 9 A method of controlling a robot arm for ultrasound scanning of a patient, using an ultrasound transducer coupled to an end of the robot arm, comprising the steps of: determining a goal view; selecting a trained navigation model associated with the goal view; applying the selected navigation model to generate movement coordinates for translating and orienting the robot arm to the goal view; applying a contact maintenance model to generate an orientation command for the transducer; applying a safe actuation model based on the outputs of the navigation model and/or contact maintenance model to generate torque and force outputs to operate the robot arm; and operating the robot arm based on torque and force outputs generated by the safe actuation model. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 which is an echocardiography scanning method. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 comprising wherein the steps are repeated for different goal views, and comprising the further step of aligning the resulting different goal view images. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein force and/or torque sensor values are obtained and used to modulate the navigation model, the contact maintenance model, and/or the safe actuation model to regulate contact of the transducer with a patient. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the contact maintenance model is configured to maintain a consistent orientation with the patient once the transducer is correctly positioned on the patient for the selected goal view. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the navigation model receives an input comprising one or more of (i) an ultrasound image generated by the transducer at its current position; (ii) coordinates of the robot arm at its current position; and (iii) electrocardiogram (ECG) data obtained from ECG probes attached to the patient. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13 wherein the contact maintenance model output overrides the navigation model output, or the contact maintenance model output and the navigation model output are averaged to position the robot arm. ### Claim 16 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 wherein the safe actuation model permits the robot arm to be moved away from the patient by manual force.