Operating System with Haptic Interface for Minimally Invasive, Hand-Held Surgical Instrument

Abstract

A haptic system for a minimally invasive, hand-held surgical instrument and the system's various parts including a graphical user haptic interface, one or more haptic interfaces associated with a hand-held handle used to control a sensorized end-effector of the surgical instrument or inserted catheters, associated hardware, and an operating system. The system enables users to acquire, read, modify, store, write, and download sensor-acquired data in real time. The system can provide: an open, universally compatible platform capable of sensing or acquiring physiological signals/data in any format; processing of the sensor acquired data within an operating system; and outputting the processed signals to hardware which generates tangible sensations via one or more haptic interfaces. These tangible sensations can be modified by the user in real time as the system ensures the temporal relationship of sensed fiducial events are not altered or shifted relative to the generated and displayed haptic signals.

1 - 16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A touch feedback system, comprising:
 a distally located sensor on a diagnostic or therapeutic surgical device that acquires a series of continuous real time data, the data representation sensing of moving biological tissue possessing three dimensional motion and having a temporal relationship with physiological and physical events;   a programmable signal processor, in operable communication with the distally located sensor, that processes the series of continuous real time data to create a plurality of processed signals; and   one or more bendable actuators that render tactile, force, kinesthetic, or proprioceptive palpable sensations to an operator with a real-time three-dimensional recreation simulating the effect of the diagnostic or therapeutic surgical device on the moving biological tissue based on the plurality of processed signals.   
     
     
         18 . The touch feedback system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more bendable actuators render palpable sensations to one or more anatomic sites of the operator, including one or more of: digits of a hand, thenar eminence of the palm, and dorsal aspect of the hand/wrist. 
     
     
         19 . The touch feedback system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more bendable actuators include a haptic surface that:
 simulates biophysical, anatomic, or physiologic properties of cardiac tissue or fluid;   conveys an effect of an ablation procedure upon moving biological tissue;   renders sensations of tissue temperature, tissue geometry, tissue deformation, tissue damage, texture information, catheter-tissue contact uniformity, and uniform delivery of ablation energy.   
     
     
         20 . The touch feedback system of  claim 17 , wherein the diagnostic or therapeutic device is adapted to perform one or more of: deliver energy to moving biological tissue; ablate cardiac arrhythmia; puncture tissue planes; position and implant intra-cardiac devices; extract pacemaker or defibrillator lead systems; and repair or replace cardiac valves. 
     
     
         21 . The touch feedback system of  claim 20 , wherein the diagnostic or therapeutic device is adapted to perform a procedure manually, robotically, tele-surgicaly, using a magnetic navigational operative system, or functioning with contact or non-contact sensors and an anatomic localization technology. 
     
     
         22 . The touch feedback system of  claim 21 , wherein the procedure includes delivery of one or more of: an inner elongate member; an inner catheter; therapeutic agents; radiofrequency energy; electromagnetic energy; cryotherapy; thermal energy; acoustic energy; ultrasonic energy; electrical energy; mechanical force; suture material; ligature; and surgical instrumentation. 
     
     
         23 . The touch feedback system of  claim 17 , further including a touch sensitive screen that is an active user interface that imparts haptic effects of significance to the user and simultaneously inputs commands to control the function, location, and position of equipment of said diagnostic or therapeutic device. 
     
     
         24 . The touch feedback system of  claim 19 , wherein the haptic surface provides palpable sensations using one or more of; piezoactuators, wurzite crystal, shape memory alloy, electroactive polymers, piezoelectric composite, and piezoceramic materials positioned in a specific fashion as to contact one or more digits of the hand, thenar eminence of the palm, dorsal aspect of the hand/wrist or other anatomic site. 
     
     
         25 . The touch feedback system of  claim 24 , wherein the haptic surface includes a shell that wraps around and is incorporated upon an existing catheter handle, catheter, inserted elongate member, or worn on one or more fingers/wrist or other body part. 
     
     
         26 . The touch feedback system of  claim 25 , wherein the shell is a sleeve fabricated in part or wholly with material that provides a haptic response and includes sensing elements that detect and respond to user contact and output commands to control the function, location, and position of equipment of a diagnostic or therapeutic device. 
     
     
         27 . The haptic touch feedback system of  claim 24 , wherein hardware and software comprising the system is designed to: function in unison; optimize haptic system signal processing, conditioning and filtering to drive appropriate motor controllers and actuators; provide a faithful recreation of sensor acquired data; and prevent the operator from exerting excessive force so as to negatively affect desired haptic responses of one or more deformable actuators upon a hand, fingers, or other body part. 
     
     
         28 . The touch feedback system of  claim 17 , wherein the tactile feedback system is structured such that the components for creating haptic effects are protected from excessive externally applied force from the user. 
     
     
         29 . A shell for haptic touch feedback that wraps around a surgical catheter handle, elongate surgical instrument, or hand of a surgeon, comprising:
 a haptic surface, including a plurality of bendable actuators, that render tactile, force, kinesthetic, or proprioceptive palpable sensations to an operator with a real-time three-dimensional recreation simulating effects of a surgical device on moving biological tissue;   wherein the haptic surface operates in response to a plurality of processed signals based on an acquired series of continuous real time data, the data reflecting sensing of moving biological tissue possessing three dimensional motion.   
     
     
         30 . The shell for haptic touch feedback of  claim 29 , wherein the haptic surface is part of a sleeve fabricated in part or wholly with material that provides a haptic response and includes a plurality of sensing elements that detect and respond to user contact by outputting commands to control the function, location, and position of the surgical device. 
     
     
         31 . The shell for haptic touch feedback of  claim 29 , wherein the haptic surface simulates biophysical, anatomic, or physiologic properties of cardiac tissue or fluid. 
     
     
         32 . The shell for haptic touch feedback of  claim 29 , wherein the haptic surface conveys an effect of an ablation procedure upon moving biological tissue. 
     
     
         33 . The shell for haptic touch feedback of  claim 28 , wherein the haptic surface renders sensations of tissue temperature, tissue geometry, tissue deformation, tissue damage, texture information, catheter-tissue contact uniformity, and uniform delivery of ablation energy.