US 5,859,934 AGranted

Method and apparatus for transforming coordinate systems in a telemanipulation system

AssigneeSRI International

InventorPhilip S. Green

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Abstract

In a telemanipulation system for manipulating objects located in a workspace at a remote worksite by an operator from an operator's station, such as in a remote surgical system, the remote worksite having a manipulator with an end effector for manipulating an object at the workspace, such as a body cavity, a controller including a hand control at the control operator's station for remote control of the manipulator, an image capture device, such as a camera, and image output device for reproducing a viewable real-time image, the improvement wherein a position sensor associated with the image capture device senses position relative to the end effector and a processor transforms the viewable real-time image into a perspective image with correlated manipulation of the end effector by the hand controller such that the operator can manipulate the end effector and the manipulator as if viewing the workspace in true presence. Image transformation according to the invention includes translation, rotation and perspective correction.

Claims11

Dependent claims

A telemanipulation surgical system for surgery at a worksite internal to a patient wherein the surgical system comprises a surgical instrument and a controller having a hand control in an apparent workspace for remote control of the surgical instrument by an operator, an image capture device for taking a real-time image of the internal worksite within the patient, and an image generator for producing a display on a monitor for eyes of the operator, said controller further comprising:

an image processor coupled to said image capture device for processing the real-time image into a processed image for display to the operator, wherein said image capture device is at an angle and an arbitrary position relative to the surgical instrument at the worksite which differs from an anthropomorphic relative position of eyes of the operator and the hand control in the apparent workspace, said image processor and said image generator cooperating to produce an image of said surgical instrument which image is coincident with the anthropomorphic position of said hand control;
a sensor coupled to the surgical instrument for detecting an actual position of the surgical instrument within the internal worksite;
and
a coordinate transformer coupled to the image processor and the sensor, the coordinate transformer translating the actual position of the surgical instrument in the real-time image to a perceived position in the processed image such that the surgical instrument appears at or near the anthropomorphic position to the image capture device in the processed image.

1 more element

A method of performing surgery by an operator at a remote location with a hand-operated controller comprising:

positioning a distal end portion of a surgical instrument adjacent an internal worksite within a patient's body;
positioning an image capture device at an arbitrary position relative to the surgical instrument at the internal worksite which differs from an anthropomorphic relative position of eyes of the operator and the controller at an apparent worksite;
detecting an actual position of the surgical instrument within the internal worksite;
taking a real-time image of the positioned surgical instrument and at least a portion of the internal worksite with the positioned image capture device;
processing the real-time image into a processed image for display to the operator at the apparent worksite;
and
transforming the actual position of the surgical instrument within the real-time image in the internal worksite to a perceived position such that the surgical instrument appears at or adjacent the anthropomorphic relative position to the image capture device in the processed image.

4 more elements

A telemanipulation surgical system to help an operator perform surgery at a worksite internal to a patient, the surgical system comprising:

a surgical instrument;
an image capture device for taking a real-time image of the surgical instrument within the internal worksite, wherein said surgical instrument defines an arbitrary position relative to the image capture device;
a controller defining an apparent workspace, the controller including:
a hand control;
an image processor coupled to said image capture device for processing the real-time image into a processed image;
a coordinate transformer coupled to the image processor, the coordinate transformer transforming an actual position of the surgical instrument in the real-time image to a perceived position;
and
an image generator coupled to the image processor for displaying the processed image to the operator;
wherein the hand control defines an anthropomorphic position relative to eyes of the operator which is different than the arbitrary position, and wherein the image generator displays the processed image to the eyes of the operator such that the surgical instrument at the perceived position appears coincident with the hand control;
and
a servomechanism coupling the hand control to the surgical instrument for correlating movements of the hand control in the apparent workspace with the movements of the surgical instrument in the internal worksite.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/783,644Filed 14 Jan 1997 · continuation
Priority: 5 May 1994
Granted: 12 Jan 1999
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification33 codes

A61B 34/76
Manipulators specially adapted for use in surgery: manipulators having means for providing feel, e.g. force or tactile feedback
A61B 34/30
Computer-aided surgery; Manipulators or robots specially adapted for use in surgery: surgical robots
A61B 34/35
Surgical robots: for telesurgery
A61B 34/37
Surgical robots: leader-follower robots