Methods and systems for providing assistance to a user of a surgical robot system

Abstract

A system for providing assistance to a user of a surgical robot system, the system comprising: a surgical robot system comprising at least one surgical robot having a base, and an arm extending from the base to an attachment for an instrument, the arm comprising a plurality of joints whereby the configuration of the arm can be altered; and an assistance module comprising a list of steps of a task for which procedural assistance can be provided, the assistance module being configured to:receive, while the surgical robot system is being used to perform the task, status data indicating a status of the surgical robot system;determine, from the status data, whether the surgical robot system is in a procedural assistance state, the surgical robot system being in a procedural assistance state when the surgical robot system is being, or, is about to be, used to perform one of the steps of the task for which procedural assistance can be provided; and in response to determining that the surgical robot system is in a procedural assistance state, cause the surgical robot system to provide procedural assistance to the user in performing the step of the task while the surgical robot system is being used to perform the task.

1 . A system for providing assistance to a user of a surgical robot system, the system comprising:
 a surgical robot system comprising at least two surgical robots each having a base, and an arm extending from the base to an attachment for an instrument, the arms comprising a plurality of joints whereby the configuration of the arm can be altered, wherein an energised instrument is attached to one of the at least two surgical robot arms and an endoscope is attached to another of the at least two surgical robot arms; and   an assistance module configured to:
 receive, while the surgical robot system is being used to perform a task, status data indicating a status of the surgical robot system; 
 dynamically determine, from the status data, whether the surgical robot system is in an energised instrument hazard state, the surgical robot system being in an energised instrument hazard state when the energised instrument is not in a field of view of the endoscope; and 
 in response to determining that the surgical robot system is in an energised instrument hazard state, cause the surgical robot system to provide energised instrument hazard assistance to the user while the surgical robot system is being used to perform the task. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the energised instrument is an electrosurgical instrument which is energised by an electrical current to perform a surgical function. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the status data comprises information on a status of the energised instrument. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the information on the status of the energised instrument comprises information on whether or not the energised instrument is currently energised. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the assistance module is configured to cause the surgical robot system to provide energised instrument hazard assistance by causing the surgical robot system to prevent energisation of the energised instrument. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the assistance module is configured to cause the surgical robot system to prevent energisation of the energised instrument by sending a control signal to a control unit of the surgical robot system which causes the control unit to prevent an energising electrical current from being sent to the energised instrument. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the assistance module is further configured to request user input on whether the energisation prevention is to be overridden; and in response to receiving user input that the energisation prevention is to be overridden, cause the surgical robot system to allow energisation of the energised instrument. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the assistance module is configured to cause the surgical robot system to provide electrosurgical instrument hazard assistance by causing the surgical robot system to output assistance information, the assistance information notifying one or more users of the surgical robot system that the energised instrument hazard state has been detected and/or that the energised instrument cannot be energised. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein outputting the assistance information to the user comprises one or more of: displaying at least at portion of the assistance information on a display of the surgical robot system, and audibly conveying at least a portion of the assistance information to the user. 
     
     
         10 . A system for providing assistance to a user of a surgical robot system, the system comprising:
 a surgical robot system comprising at least one surgical robot having a base, and an arm extending from the base to an attachment for an instrument, the arm comprising a plurality of joints whereby the configuration of the arm can be altered; and   an assistance module comprising a list of steps of a task for which procedural assistance can be provided, the assistance module being configured to:
 receive, while the surgical robot system is being used to perform the task, status data indicating a status of the surgical robot system; 
 determine, from the status data, whether the surgical robot system is in a procedural assistance state, the surgical robot being in a procedural assistance state when one of the steps of the task for which procedural assistance can be provided is about to be executed or the user has started to perform one of the steps of the task for which procedural assistance can be provided; and 
 in response to determining that the surgical robot system is in a procedural assistance state, cause the surgical robot system to provide procedural assistance to the user in performing the step of the task while the surgical robot system is being used to perform the task. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the assistance module is further configured to determine, from the status data, whether the surgical robot system is in a hazard state; and in response to determining that the surgical robot system is in a hazard state cause the surgical robot system to provide hazard assistance to the user while the surgical robot system is being used to perform the task. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the assistance module is configured to determine that the surgical robot system is in a hazard state when the assistance module determines, from the status data, that the surgical robot system is in at least one of a collision state, a faulty instrument state, and an incorrect instrument state. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the surgical robot system comprises at least two surgical robots and the assistance module is configured to determine that the surgical robot system is in a collision state when the assistance module determines, from the status data, that at least two surgical robot arms have collided or are about to collide, at least two instruments have collided or are about to collide, or an instrument and a surgical robot arm have collided or are about to collide. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the assistance module is configured to determine that the surgical robot system is in an incorrect instrument state when the assistance module determines, from the status data, that an instrument has been attached to a surgical robot arm that is not suitable for the task or a current step of the task. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the assistance module is configured to, in response to determining that the surgical robot system is in an incorrect instrument state cause the surgical robot system to automatically perform an instrument change so that the incorrect instrument is replaced with a suitable instrument. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the assistance module is further configured to determine, from the status data, whether the surgical robot system is in a predicted hazard state, the surgical robot system being in a predicted hazard state when one or more hazard indicators are detected from the status data; and in response to determining that the surgical robot system is in a predicted hazard state provide cause the surgical robot system to provide predicted hazard assistance to the user while the surgical robot system is being used to perform the task. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more hazard indicators comprises events or patterns in the status data of previously performed tasks that preceded a hazard. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the task is a surgical procedure on a patient and at least one of the one or more hazard indicators comprises one or more of: one or more of the patient's vital signs and/or other health metrics falling outside a predetermined range; one or more of an operator's vital signs and/or other health metrics falling outside a predetermined range; one or more of the individuals present for the task speaking in a raised voice; and one or more of the individuals present for the task speaking a warning word or phrase. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the assistance module is further configured to determine, from the status data, whether the surgical robot system is in a skill assistance state, the surgical robotic system being in a skill assistance state when the surgical robot is currently being, or, is about to be, used to perform a known skill; and   in response to determining that the surgical robot system is in a skill assistance state, the assistance module is configured to control one or more surgical robot arms to automatically perform the known skill.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein a level of assistance provided is based on a skill level of an operator of the surgical robot system. 
     
     
         21 .- 30 . (canceled)