A Unified Framework for the Teleoperation of Surgical Robots in Constrained Workspaces

TL;DR

This paper introduces a versatile control framework for teleoperated surgical robots operating in constrained environments, enhancing dexterity and force feedback across different robot geometries in adult and pediatric surgeries.

Contribution

It presents a unified control approach that applies to both redundant and non-redundant robots, improving teleoperation smoothness and reproducibility in challenging surgical scenarios.

Findings

Successful implementation on redundant and non-redundant robots

Achieved smooth teleoperation in adult laparoscopy and infant surgery

Enhanced force feedback and virtual fixture integration

Abstract

In adult laparoscopy, robot-aided surgery is a reality in thousands of operating rooms worldwide, owing to the increased dexterity provided by the robotic tools. Many robots and robot control techniques have been developed to aid in more challenging scenarios, such as pediatric surgery and microsurgery. However, the prevalence of case-specific solutions, particularly those focused on non-redundant robots, reduces the reproducibility of the initial results in more challenging scenarios. In this paper, we propose a general framework for the control of surgical robotics in constrained workspaces under teleoperation, regardless of the robot geometry. Our technique is divided into a slave-side constrained optimization algorithm, which provides virtual fixtures, and with Cartesian impedance on the master side to provide force feedback. Experiments with two robotic systems, one redundant and one non-redundant, show that smooth teleoperation can be achieved in adult laparoscopy and infant surgery.