System, Apparatus and Methods for Telesurgical Mentoring Platform

Abstract

A telesurgical mentoring platform with a wheeled base, a lower rack mounted on the base, an upper rack extending vertically from the lower rack, a compactly foldable articulated arm that is configured to extend horizontally outward away from the upper rack and configured to connect to a connector piece holding an end effectuator at its distal end, a tablet personal computer; the console configured to be readily mobilized on the floor of an existing operating room and is capable of providing a connectivity point for communication, audiovisual, and data transfer services in an operating room.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A telesurgical mentoring platform, comprising:
 a wheeled base;   a lower rack mounted on the wheeled base;   an upper rack having an extended top portion, the upper rack extending vertically from the lower rack;   an articulated arm, the articulated arm configured to attach to the upper rack and to open outwardly from the extended top portion of the upper rack and capable of swinging around in a horizontal plane opening outward from the extended top portion of the upper rack;   a fixed camera for a 360-degree visualization;   a pan-tilt-zoom camera for producing live video images, the camera connected to a distal end of the articulated arm via a connecting piece;   an electronic display connected to upper rack;   an on-board computer housed in the lower rack;   a power supply housed in the lower rack;   a control unit for controlling articulated arm, housed in the lower rack;
 the telesurgical mentoring platform wherein, the video images are delivered and transferred to a different healthcare facility, and 
 the telesurgical mentoring platform wherein, the video images are delivered and transferred within the healthcare facility. 
   
     
     
         2 . The console of  claim 1 , wherein the electronic display is a tablet computer. 
     
     
         3 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 1 , wherein the pan-tilt-zoom camera is angled via the articulating arm to produce the live video images on the electronic display. 
     
     
         4 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 1 , wherein the articulating arm is connected to the upper rack with an articulated arm base, which allows for a free-swinging movement of the articulated arm in a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         5 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 1 , wherein the articulating arm and the connector piece are connected by an articulated arm base joint allowing for free-swinging movement of the articulated arm and the connector piece in a horizontal plane. 
     
     
         6 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 1 , wherein the telesurgical mentoring platform may be wheeled into a convenient location in an operating room or near the patient and surgical field. 
     
     
         7 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 1 , wherein the telesurgical mentoring platform comprises at least one display for displaying outputs from the pan-tilt-zoom camera. 
     
     
         8 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 1 , wherein the video images are delivered and transferred via the Internet. 
     
     
         9 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a ethernet input for internet connection;   a HDMI monitor output for mirroring existing monitors in the mentoring platform; and   one or more imaging systems inputs to directly input the imaging system, encrypt their real-time view and transmit the view to a remote user.   
     
     
         10 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a video mixer which allows for toggling of various video sources and provide multi-screen functionality chosen from a group of full screens, split screen, tri-view and quad view.   
     
     
         11 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 1 , wherein the power supply is a rechargeable battery source. 
     
     
         12 . A telesurgical mentoring platform for use during surgery, comprising:
 an electronic display; and   an audiovisual component in communication with the electronic display for providing visual content to the electronic display and in communication with a speaker component for providing auditory content to the speaker component in conjunction with the visual content.   
     
     
         14 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 12 , wherein the electronic display is a tablet computer. 
     
     
         15 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 12 , wherein the audiovisual component is a pan-tilt-zoom camera having a microphone. 
     
     
         16 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 12 , wherein the console comprises a stand-alone speaker and a stand-alone microphone. 
     
     
         17 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 12 , wherein the console comprises an on-board computer in communication with the electronic display and audiovisual component for network conferencing of the video content and audio content in real time to a remote user. 
     
     
         18 . The telesurgical mentoring platform of  claim 12 , wherein the video content and audio content are delivered and transferred via the Internet to the remote user.