U.S. patent application number 17/502500 was filed with the patent office on 2022-02-03 for planning a tool path for an end-effector using an environmental map.
This patent application is currently assigned to THINK SURGICAL, INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is THINK SURGICAL, INC.. Invention is credited to Randall Hanson, Jay Roldan.
Application Number | 20220031412 17/502500 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005902478 |
Filed Date | 2022-02-03 |
United States Patent
Application |
20220031412 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Roldan; Jay ; et
al. |
February 3, 2022 |
PLANNING A TOOL PATH FOR AN END-EFFECTOR USING AN ENVIRONMENTAL
MAP
Abstract
A system and method are provided for planning a tool path for an
end-effector of a surgical robot from a first position to a second
position using an environmental map. The end-effector may safely
and efficiently follow the tool path to re-position the
end-effector back to a cutting position following the displacement
of the end-effector from the cutting position. Additionally, the
environmental map is used to update a virtual representation of a
bone to provide a user with visual feedback as to the progression
of the end-effector tool as the tool removes material from the bone
during a surgical procedure.
Inventors: |
Roldan; Jay; (Fremont,
CA) ; Hanson; Randall; (Fremont, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
THINK SURGICAL, INC. |
Fremont |
CA |
US |
|
|
Assignee: |
THINK SURGICAL, INC.
Fremont
CA
|
Family ID: |
1000005902478 |
Appl. No.: |
17/502500 |
Filed: |
October 15, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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16250341 |
Jan 17, 2019 |
11154369 |
|
|
17502500 |
|
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62621307 |
Jan 24, 2018 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61B 2034/2055 20160201;
A61B 2034/744 20160201; A61B 2034/104 20160201; A61B 17/16
20130101; A61B 2017/564 20130101; A61B 34/20 20160201; A61B
2034/102 20160201; A61B 34/10 20160201; A61B 2090/3983 20160201;
A61B 34/30 20160201; A61B 2090/3937 20160201; A61B 2034/2068
20160201; A61B 2034/2051 20160201; A61B 17/56 20130101; A61B
2034/743 20160201; A61B 2034/105 20160201; A61B 2034/252 20160201;
A61B 2034/107 20160201; A61B 2034/2059 20160201 |
International
Class: |
A61B 34/30 20060101
A61B034/30; A61B 34/10 20060101 A61B034/10; A61B 34/20 20060101
A61B034/20; A61B 17/56 20060101 A61B017/56 |
Claims
1. A method for planning a tool path for an end-effector attached
to a surgical robot comprising: providing motion planner software
on a computer having a processor and an environmental map with
physical areas designated in the environmental map as free space or
invalid space, wherein the free space is a volume based on removed
material and the invalid space is intact material; and planning the
tool path for the end-effector from a first position to a second
position, with the motion planner software, using the environmental
map.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the material is a workpiece or a
bone.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating the
environmental map by labelling the free space and the invalid space
relative to the end-effector.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising labelling of the
removed material as free space only when the end-effector is in an
`on` operating state.
5. The method of claim 3 further comprising the labelling of the
removed material as free space in only when the end-effector
crosses a boundary in a direction towards the workpiece or the
bone.
6. The method of claim 3 further comprising defining a boundary in
the environmental map based a plane non-parallel to a longitudinal
axis of the workpiece or the bone.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the free space is labelled
starting at the boundary and away from the workpiece or the bone
and the invalid space is labelled starting at the boundary and
towards the orthopedic workpiece or the bone.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the environmental map is defined
with reference to a robotic coordinate system or a tracking system
coordinate system.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising registering a bone
relative to the surgical robot.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the first position is a displaced
position of the end-effector from a previous tool path and the
second position resides along the previous tool path.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the tool path is limited to the
free space.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the tool path is planned by
minimizing a path length from the first position to the second
position in the free space.
13. The method of claim 11 wherein the tool path is planned by
avoiding obstacles utilizing the invalid space.
14. The method of claim 11 wherein the minimizing of the path
length is accomplished with an algorithm including at least one of:
optimization algorithms, probability roadmaps (PRM),
rapidly-exploring random trees (RRT), or potential field
methods.
15. The method of claim 1 further comprising identifying one or
more checkpoints between the first position and the second position
wherein the planning of the tool path from the first position to,
or near, the second position utilizes the one or more of the
checkpoints.
16. The method of claim 14 further comprising determining which of
the one or more checkpoints is in closest proximity to the second
position and planning the tool path based on one or more of said
checkpoints.
17. The method of claim 1 further comprising removing the material
with the end-effector.
18. A surgical system comprising: a surgical robot with an end
effector; and a computer comprising a processor and motion planner
software to plan the tool path of claim 1.
19. The system of claim 17 further comprising an environmental map
generator software for generating an environmental map.
20. The system of claim of claim 18 further comprising at least one
of a mechanical digitizer or a non-mechanical tracking system.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser.
No. 16/250,341, filed Jan. 17, 2019, which in turn claims priority
benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/621,307, filed
24 Jan. 2018; the contents of which are hereby incorporated by
reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to the field of
robotic-assisted orthopedic surgery, and more particularly to a
system and method for dynamically generating an environmental
mapping for use in robotic assisted surgery.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Robotic surgery is an expanding field having applications in
orthopedics, neurology, oncology, and soft-tissue procedures. In
the field of orthopedics, robotic surgical systems generally aid in
the planning and execution of a bone procedure to repair and
replace a damaged joint. The TSOLUTION ONE.RTM. Surgical System
(THINK Surgical, Inc., Fremont, Calif.) is one such system that
aids in the planning and execution of total hip arthroplasty (THA)
and total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The TSOLUTION ONE.RTM. Surgical
System includes: a pre-operative planning software program to
generate a surgical plan; and an autonomous surgical robot that
precisely mills the bone to receive an implant according to the
plan. In more detail, with reference to FIG. 1A, a user plans the
placement of an implant model IM (e.g., a computer aided design
(CAD) file of the implant) relative to a three-dimensionally
generated bone model BM of the patient's bone to designate the best
fit, fill, and alignment for the implant in each patient case. Once
completed, the plan is saved and transferred to the robot for
execution intra-operatively. In the operating room (OR), the plan
is registered to the bone and the surgical robot controls an
end-effector tool to mill the bone according to the plan. More
specifically, as shown in FIG. 1B, the end-effector tool is
manipulated based on a cut-file having cutting parameters. The
cutting parameters includes a tool path 10, among other parameters
(e.g., feed-rates, spindle speed), that defines the motion for the
end-effector tool to accurately modify the bone B according to the
planned implant placement.
[0004] However, the robot only knows the POSE of the registered
bone and the tool path 10 on which to control the end-effector
tool. The robot, without any other sensors (e.g., laser scanner),
lacks information about the environment including the presence or
absence of obstacles (e.g., clinical staff, patient's anatomy) in
the robot's workspace. Therefore, an obstacle may unintentionally
encounter the end-effectors toolpath.
[0005] One particular situation where the end-effector tool may
encounter an obstacle is during a tool path recovery procedure.
Whenever a procedure is paused for a safety reason, the surgical
team needs to investigate the problem to ensure the end-effector
tool is cutting as intended and the patient is safe. To obtain a
better view of the surgical site, the surgical team manually
displaces (e.g., guides, removes) the end-effector tool away from
the surgical site to inspect the problem. Once the problem is
alleviated or addressed, the user may resume the procedure. To
resume the procedure, the position of the end-effector tool needs
to be recovered, meaning the end-effector tool needs to be
re-positioned back to, or near, the tools previous cutting
position. In one method, the cut-file may include a plurality of
checkpoints (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) positioned along the tool path 10
to recover the position of the end-effector tool back to, or near
the tool path 10. As the end-effector tool passes the checkpoints
(20a, 20b, 20c, 20d) in the tool path 10, the last checkpoint
passed when the procedure was paused may be used as a reference
location to re-position the cutter. For example, if the
end-effector tool was milling between checkpoints 20c and 20d when
the pause occurred, then checkpoint 20c is used as the last
checkpoint to recover the position of the end-effector tool.
[0006] However, as previously mentioned, the robot has no external
information about the environment, including obstacles (e.g.,
un-cut bone), which may exist between the displaced position of the
end-effector tool and the previous cutting position without having
external sensors or a model of the environment. Therefore,
robot-to-bone collisions while recovering the position of the
end-effector tool are possible without manual user assistance,
which may pose a risk to the patient and increase the surgical
time.
[0007] Thus, there is a need in the art for a method to dynamically
generate an environmental map for use during robot assisted
surgery. There further exists a need to dynamically plan a recovery
tool path that an end-effector tool can safely and efficiently
follow to re-position the tool back to, or near, a cutting position
following the displacement of the tool from the cutting position
with the aid of the environmental map.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] A method is provided to dynamically generate an
environmental map in a robotic assisted surgery system. The method
includes registering a physical surface contour of a bone to the
robotic assisted surgical system, and determining a high point on
the surface contour. A boundary is defined in the environmental map
based on the high point and a plane non-parallel to a longitudinal
axis of the bone, and regions are labeled starting at the boundary
and away from the bone as free space in the environmental map, as
well as regions labeled starting at the boundary and towards the
bone as invalid space in the environmental map. The method further
includes removing material from a workpiece or the bone by
manipulating an end-effector tool with a manipulator arm along a
tool path of the robotic surgical system, and dynamically
generating the environmental map as material is being removed by
labeling the removed material as free space in the environmental
map and labeling the non-removed material as invalid space in the
environmental map.
[0009] A surgical system is provided for performing the
computerized method to dynamically generate an environmental map in
a robotic assisted surgery system. The system includes a surgical
robot with an end effector tool, a computing system having
user-peripherals and a monitor for displaying a graphical user
interface (GUI), and at least one of a mechanical digitizer or a
non-mechanical tracking system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The present invention is further detailed with respect to
the following drawings that are intended to show certain aspects of
the present of invention, but should not be construed as limit on
the practice of the invention, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1A depicts a planned placement of an implant model
relative to a bone model as is known in the prior art;
[0012] FIG. 1B depicts a tool path having checkpoints for removing
bone according to the planned placement as is known in the prior
art;
[0013] FIG. 2 depicts a surgical system having an environmental map
generator software module for dynamically generating an
environmental map in accordance with embodiments of the
invention;
[0014] FIG. 3 depicts an exposed proximal femur and a boundary used
to dynamically generate an environmental map in accordance with
embodiments of the invention; and
[0015] FIGS. 4A-4C depicts the progression of a method for
dynamically generating an environmental map and planning a recovery
tool path in accordance with embodiments of the invention, where
FIG. 4A depicts a tool removing bone, FIG. 4B depicts a position of
the tool when a pause in the procedure occurs, and FIG. 4C depicts
the tool displaced from the tool path and a recovery tool path for
recovering the position of the tool from the displaced position
back to, or near, the previous cutting position as shown in FIG.
4B.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] The present invention has utility as a system and method for
dynamically generating an environmental map for use in robotic
assisted surgery. The system and method are particularly
advantageous for generating an environmental map to plan a recovery
tool path that an end-effector tool can safely and efficiently
follow to re-position the tool back to a cutting position following
the displacement of the tool from the cutting position.
Additionally, the environmental map may be particularly useful to
update a virtual representation of a bone to provide a user with
visual feedback as to the progression of the end-effector tool as
the tool removes material from the bone.
[0017] The present invention will now be described with reference
to the following embodiments. As is apparent by these descriptions,
this invention can be embodied in different forms and should not be
construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather,
these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be
thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the
invention to those skilled in the art. For example, features
illustrated with respect to one embodiment can be incorporated into
other embodiments, and features illustrated with respect to a
particular embodiment may be deleted from the embodiment. In
addition, numerous variations and additions to the embodiments
suggested herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art in
light of the instant disclosure, which do not depart from the
instant invention. Hence, the following specification is intended
to illustrate some particular embodiments of the invention, and not
to exhaustively specify all permutations, combinations, and
variations thereof.
[0018] Further, it should be appreciated that although the systems
and methods described herein make reference to the proximal femur
bone, the systems and methods may be applied to other bones and
joints in the body illustratively including the knee, ankle, elbow,
wrist, skull, and spine, as well as revision of initial repair or
replacement of any of the aforementioned bones or joints. It should
further be appreciated that the systems and methods described
herein may be applied to industrial applications, such as the
generation of an environmental map for a computer numerical control
(CNC) machine that mills inanimate workpieces (e.g., wood,
metal).
[0019] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms
used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The
terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for
the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not
intended to be limiting of the invention.
[0020] Unless indicated otherwise, explicitly or by context, the
following terms are used herein as set forth below.
[0021] As used in the description of the invention and the appended
claims, the singular forms "a," "an" and "the" are intended to
include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly
indicates otherwise.
[0022] Also as used herein, "and/or" refers to and encompasses any
and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated
listed items, as well as the lack of combinations when interpreted
in the alternative ("or").
[0023] As used herein, the term "recovery marker" refers to a
physical reference marker designed to permit a measurement system,
such as a mechanical tracking system, optical tracking system,
electro-magnetic tracking system, ultrasound tracking system,
and/or an imaging system (e.g., computed tomography (CT), X-ray,
fluoroscopy, ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)), to
determine at least one of a position or orientation of at least a
portion of the reference marker.
[0024] As used herein, the term "registration" refers to the
determination of the spatial relationship between two or more
objects or coordinate systems such as a computer-assist device, a
bone, or an image data set of a bone. Illustrative methods of
registration known in the art are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.
6,033,415, 8,010,177, 8,036,441, and 8,287,522. "Re-registration"
refers to any subsequent registration procedure that occurs after
an initial registration and is executed with the use of the
recovery markers.
[0025] As used herein, the term "end-effector tool" refers to an
instrument that is manipulated/guided by an external device (e.g.,
surgical robot, CNC machine) and interacts with a workpiece (e.g.,
bone). Illustrative examples of an end-effector tool include a
cutter, an end-mill, a burr, a probe, an electrocautery device, a
reamer, an impactor, a drill bit, a screw, forceps, scissors, and a
saw.
[0026] As used herein, the term "real-time" refers to the
processing of input data within milliseconds such that calculated
values are available within 10 seconds of computational
initiation.
[0027] With reference now to the figures, FIG. 2 depicts an
embodiment of a robotic surgical system 100 shown in the context of
an operating room (OR). The robotic surgical system 100 is capable
of implementing embodiments of the inventive method as described
herein. The surgical system 100 generally includes a surgical robot
102, a computing system 104, and includes at least one of a
mechanical digitizer 118 or a non-mechanical tracking system 106
(e.g., an optical tracking system, an electro-magnetic tracking
system).
[0028] The surgical robot 102 may include a movable base 108, a
manipulator arm 110 connected to the base 108, an end-effector
flange 112 located at a distal end of the manipulator arm 110, and
an end-effector assembly 111 removably attached to the flange 112
by way of an end-effector mount/coupler 113. The end-effector
assembly 111 holds and/or operates an end-effector tool 115 that
interacts with a portion of a patient's anatomy. The base 108
includes a set of wheels 117 to maneuver the base 108, which may be
fixed into position using a braking mechanism such as a hydraulic
brake. The base 108 may further include an actuator to adjust the
height of the manipulator arm 110. The manipulator arm 110 includes
various joints and links to manipulate the tool 115 in various
degrees of freedom. The joints are illustratively prismatic,
revolute, spherical, or a combination thereof.
[0029] The computing system 104 generally includes a planning
computer 114; a device computer 116; an optional tracking computer
119 if a tracking system 106 is present; and peripheral devices.
The planning computer 114, device computer 116, and tracking
computer 119, may be separate entities, a single collective unit,
or combinations thereof depending on the surgical system. The
peripheral devices allow a user to interface with the robotic
surgical system 100 and may include: one or more user-interfaces,
such as a display or monitor 120 for displaying a graphical user
interface (GUI); and user-input mechanisms, such as a keyboard 121,
mouse 122, pendent 124, joystick 126, foot pedal 128, or the
monitor 120 in some inventive embodiments have touchscreen
capabilities.
[0030] The planning computer 114 contains hardware (e.g.,
processors, controllers, and memory), software, data and utilities
that are in some inventive embodiments dedicated to the planning of
a surgical procedure, either pre-operatively or intra-operatively.
This may include reading medical imaging data, segmenting imaging
data, constructing three-dimensional (3D) virtual models, storing
computer-aided design (CAD) files, providing various functions or
widgets to aid a user in planning the surgical procedure, and
generating surgical plan data. The final surgical plan includes
operational data for modifying a volume of tissue that is defined
relative to the anatomy, such as a set of points in a cut-file to
autonomously modify the volume of bone, a set of virtual boundaries
defined to haptically constrain a tool within the defined
boundaries to modify the bone, a set of planes or drill holes to
drill pins in the bone, or a graphically navigated set of
instructions for modifying the tissue. The data generated from the
planning computer 114 may be transferred to the device computer 116
and/or tracking computer 119 through a wired or wireless connection
in the operating room (OR); or transferred via a non-transient data
storage medium (e.g., a compact disc (CD), a portable universal
serial bus (USB) drive) if the planning computer 114 is located
outside the OR. In particular embodiments, data (e.g., surgical
plan data, image data, cut-files or others robotic instructions) is
transferred in the OR using actuated LEDs as described in U.S. Pat.
Pub. No. 20170245945 assigned to the assignee of the present
application.
[0031] The device computer 116 in some inventive embodiments is
housed in the moveable base 108 and contains hardware (e.g.,
controllers), software, data and utilities that are preferably
dedicated to the operation of the surgical robot 102. This may
include surgical device control, robotic manipulator control, the
processing of kinematic and inverse kinematic data, the execution
of registration algorithms, the execution of calibration routines,
the execution of surgical plan data, coordinate transformation
processing, providing workflow instructions to a user, utilizing
position and orientation (POSE) data from the tracking system 106,
and reading data received from the mechanical digitizer 118. The
device computer 116 may further include an environmental map
generator software module for generating an environmental map
during the procedure as further described below. The environmental
map generator software module may include a motion planner software
module for dynamically planning a recovery path for the
end-effector tool 115 in the event a user displaces the tool 115
during the procedure as further described below.
[0032] The optional tracking system 106 of the surgical system 100
includes two or more optical receivers 130 to detect the position
of fiducial markers (e.g., retroreflective spheres, active light
emitting diodes (LEDs)) uniquely arranged on rigid bodies. In still
other embodiments the optical receivers are 3D laser scanners. The
fiducial markers arranged on a rigid body are collectively referred
to as a fiducial marker array 132, where each fiducial marker array
132 has a unique arrangement of fiducial markers, or a unique
transmitting wavelength/frequency if the markers are active LEDs.
In an embodiment, the fiducial markers are directly integrated onto
or with the surgical device. An example of an optical tracking
system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,061,644. The tracking system
106 may be built into a surgical light, located on a boom, a stand
140, or built into the walls or ceilings of the OR. The tracking
system computer 136 may include tracking hardware, software, data
and utilities to determine the POSE of objects (e.g., bones B,
surgical robot 102) in a local or global coordinate frame. The POSE
of the objects is collectively referred to herein as POSE data,
where this POSE data may be communicated to the device computer 116
through a wired or wireless connection. Alternatively, the device
computer 116 may determine the POSE data using the position of the
fiducial markers detected from the optical receivers 130
directly.
[0033] The POSE data is determined using the position data detected
from the optical receivers 130 and operations/processes such as
image processing, image filtering, triangulation algorithms,
geometric relationship processing, registration algorithms,
calibration algorithms, and coordinate transformation processing.
For example, the POSE of a digitizer probe 138 with an attached
probe fiducial marker array 132b may be calibrated such that the
probe tip is continuously known in physical space as described in
U.S. Pat. No. 7,043,961. The POSE of the tool 115 may be known with
respect to a device fiducial marker array 132a using a calibration
method as described in U.S. Prov. Pat. App. 62/128,857. It should
be appreciated, that the device fiducial marker 132a is depicted on
the manipulator arm 110; however, the marker 132a may be positioned
on the base 108 or the end-effector assembly 111. Registration
algorithms may be executed to determine the POSE and coordinate
transforms between a bone B, a fiducial marker array 132c or 132d,
a surgical plan, and the surgical robot 102 using the
aforementioned registration methods.
[0034] While 3D laser scanning has been contemplated as an adjunct
to surgery (Harmon, L., et al. "3D laser scanning for image-guided
neurosurgery." Ann Arbor 1001 (1994): 48113-4001), this technique
has been met with limited success owing to the inadequate
resolution of such scans that are nonetheless rapidly collected.
This is known synonymously as light detection and ranging (LIDAR).
Such 3D laser scanning is operative herein to detect a rapid and
independent mapping of the surgical field for obstacles about which
the surgical robotic system lacks information. The resulting scans
are readily communicated and compared to the bone and/or fiducial
marker registration to avoid collisions.
[0035] The POSE data is used by the computing system 104 during the
procedure to update the POSE and/or coordinate transforms of the
bone B, the surgical plan, and the surgical robot 102 as the
manipulator arm 110 and/or bone B move during the procedure, such
that the surgical robot 102 can accurately execute the surgical
plan. In another embodiment, the surgical system 100 does not
include a tracking system 106, but instead employs a bone fixation
and monitoring system that fixes the bone directly to the surgical
robot 102 and monitors bone movement as described in U.S. Pat. No.
5,086,401.
[0036] With reference to FIG. 3, a particular inventive embodiment
of a method for dynamically generating an environmental map is
shown. The surgical team first exposes the bone B via an incision
146, and the bone B is registered to the surgical robot 102 and the
surgical plan (the surgical plan having the tool path 10) with
techniques known in the art. After registration, a boundary 148
(e.g., a hyperplane, a meshed surface generated by a camera) is
defined in space (e.g., in a coordinate system associated with the
surgical robot 102 or tracking system 106) as: a) the highest point
150 on the bone B, plus some optional offset; and b) parallel to an
X-Y plane that is defined perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of
the bone B as further described. The algorithms for such
registration and by extension robotic navigation are well known as
provided in exemplary form in Bobrow, J. E. et al. "Time-optimal
control of robotic manipulators along specified paths." Int. J.
Robot. Res., 4(3):3-17, 1985. The highest point on the bone may be
determined by designating such point as a landmark on a 3-D virtual
bone model of the bone B in the pre-operative planning software,
wherein once registered to the actual bone is known in physical
space. In specific embodiments, the `high point` refers to the most
proximal end point or the most distal end point on the bone
depending on which end the surgical robot 102 is operating (e.g.,
if the surgical robot 102 is preparing the proximal femur, then the
`high point` is the most proximal end point of the femur). The X-Y
plane may be defined relative to the bone B using several methods.
In a specific embodiment, a coordinate system 152 of the bone B is
defined relative to a 3-D virtual bone model of the bone B in the
pre-operative planning software. Generally, a +Z-axis 154 and
-Z-axis 156 of the bone B is defined along a longitudinal axis of
the bone B, such as the mechanical axis or anatomical axis of the
bone B. The X-axis and Y-axis are then defined perpendicular to the
Z-axis and perpendicular to one another using anatomical landmarks
(e.g., femoral condyles). Here, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the
+Z-axis 154 is shown pointing away from the bone B and the -Z-axis
is shown pointing towards the bone B. In other words, the +Z-axis
154 is shown pointing in a direction opposing the direction of the
end-effector's tool path 10, and the -Z-axis 156 is shown pointing
in a direction towards the end-effector's tool path 10. The highest
point 150 is defined as the most +Z point on the bone B as
determined from the digitizing and registration process, plus some
optional offset. The boundary 148 is then defined in space using
the highest point 150 and the X-Y plane as defined above.
[0037] The boundary 148 may be defined by the computing system 104
and stored in the environmental map generator software module. The
environmental map generator then begins mapping the environment by
designating anything beyond the boundary 148 in the +Z-axis
direction as free space FS and anything below the surface in the
-Z-axis direction as invalid space IS. The free space FS is defined
as any region in the environment where the end-effector can safely
travel, while the invalid space IS is defined as any region in the
environment that may be unsafe and/or cause an unintended collision
with the end-effector tool.
[0038] With reference to FIGS. 4A-4C, particular embodiments for
furthering the generation of the environmental map as the
end-effector tool removes bone is shown. FIGS. 4A-4C depicts the
end-effector assembly 111 operating a tool 115 having a tool tip
142 at different stages throughout embodiments of the inventive
method. FIG. 4A depicts the end-effector tool 115 removing material
from a bone B. The manipulator arm 110 manipulates the end-effector
tool 115 according to a tool path 10 registered to the bone B. As
the end-effector tool 115 removes bone B, the environmental map
generator associated with at least one of the device computer 116
or tracking computer 119 maps the environment in real-time. The
environmental map generator maps the environment by labeling the
volume of removed material by the end-effector tool 115 as free
space FS, and all other regions as invalid space IS. FIG. 4B
depicts the end-effector tool 115 positioned farther along the tool
path 10. As such, the volume of the free space FS has increased as
the end-effector tool 115 has removed more bone B. Therefore, the
environmental map is generated and updated in real-time based on
the movements of the end-effector tool 115 as the tool 115 removes
bone B. The environmental map generator knows the POSE of the tool
115 as the tool 115 is removing bone B to update the free space FS
based on at least one of: the kinematics of the robot manipulator
arm, POSE data collected from a tracking system, or a combination
thereof. In particular inventive embodiments, the environmental map
generator only updates the environmental map (i.e., free space FS
and invalid space IS) when the end-effector tool 115 is `on` (e.g.,
an end-mill actively spinning) and when the end-effector tool 115
has crossed over the boundary 148 from +Z to -Z. Therefore, the
motion planner module does not inadvertently mislabel a region of
the environment as free space FS.
[0039] In the event of bone motion at any moment during the
procedure, the POSE of the surgical plan having the tool path 10
and the environmental map are updated to maintain their relative
POSE to the bone B. If a tracking system 106 is present, the POSEs
may be updated in real-time based on the POSE data. If the surgical
system utilizes a fixation system, bone motion monitoring system,
and recovery markers as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,086,401 and
U.S. Pat. No. 6,430,434, then the recovery markers are used to
update the relative POSEs. Therefore, the labeled free space FS and
labeled invalid space IS in the environmental map is not
compromised in the event of bone motion.
Planning a Recovery Tool Path
[0040] With reference still to FIGS. 4A to 4C, particular
embodiments of a method for dynamically planning a recovery tool
path with the environmental map is also shown. FIG. 4B depicts the
end-effector tool 115 at point in the tool path 10 where the
procedure is paused due to one of several reasons, such as a safety
reason. As shown in FIG. 4C, a user then displaces the end-effector
tool 115 to a displaced position away from the tool path 10. FIG.
4C depicts the tool 115 being displaced outside of the volume of
removed bone B. Once the user is ready to resume the procedure, the
motion planner module searches for a recovery tool path 144 based
on the environmental map (i.e., free space FS and invalid space
IS). More specifically, the motion planner module searches for a
recovery tool path 144 that: a) minimizes the path length from the
current displaced position of the tool 115 (as shown in FIG. 4C)
back to, or near, the pre-displaced position of the tool 115 on the
tool path 10 (as shown in FIG. 4B); and b) maximizes dexterity and
distance away from obstacles (i.e., invalid space IS). The motion
planner module may utilize one or more algorithms to search for the
recovery tool path 144 based on the foregoing constraints (a) and
(b). The algorithms illustratively include optimization algorithms,
probability roadmaps (PRM), rapidly-exploring random trees (RRT),
potential field method, or any variants of the mentioned
algorithms. The motion planner module may further use existing
landmarks such as checkpoints 20C in the tool path 10 to navigate
the end-effector tool 115 back to, or near, the pre-displaced
position of the end-effector tool 115. More specifically, if the
tool path 10 for the end-effector tool 115 includes checkpoints
(20a, 20b, 20c, 20d), then each checkpoint (20a, 20b, 20c, 20d)
encountered while removing the bone B is checked for reachability.
A reachable checkpoint is any checkpoint in the robot workspace
that can be reached by the robot's end-effector since not all of
the checkpoints in the cut-file may be directly on the
end-effector's tool path 10. Reachable checkpoints are recorded and
labeled as valid points to be used as vertexes during recovery path
planning. The end-effector tool 115 then travels along the recovery
tool path 144 back to, or near, the pre-displaced position to
resume the removal of bone B.
Visual Feedback
[0041] During milling, the graphical user interface may display the
progress of the end-effector removing bone. The GUI may display the
3-D bone model being milled. To better display the progression of
the milling, the GUI may also display the amount of bone removed
based on the labelled free space. Since the software module is
recording and labelling the removed bone in real-time as free
space, the free space is used as a metric to update the volume of
bone removed accordingly. This provides a quick method to determine
and display the progression of the milling in real-time relative to
a virtual representation of the bone.
Other Embodiments
[0042] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented
in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated
that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be
appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments
are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope,
applicability, or configuration of the described embodiments in any
way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those
skilled in the art with a convenient roadmap for implementing the
exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments. It should be
understood that various changes may be made in the function and
arrangement of elements without departing from the scope as set
forth in the appended claims and the legal equivalents thereof.
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