Rotational actuators for surgical robotics systems

Abstract

A system for use in surgery includes a central body, a visualization system operably connected to the central body, a video rendering system, a head-mounted display for displaying images from the video rendering system, a sensor system, and a robotic device operably connected to the central body. The visualization system includes at least one camera and a pan system and/or a tilt system. The sensor system tracks the position and/or orientation in space of the head-mounted display relative to a reference point. The pan system and/or the tilt system are configured to adjust the field of view of the camera in response to information from the sensor system about changes in at least one of position and orientation in space of the head-mounted display relative to the reference point.

1 . A hinged robotic actuator for a robotic arm of a surgical robotic system, the hinged robotic actuator sized and dimensioned for insertion through a trocar, the hinged robotic actuator comprising:
 a main hinge body;   a rotatable mechanism coupled to the main hinge body, the rotatable mechanism rotatable about a rotation axis to actuate the hinged robotic actuator; and   a passageway extending through the main hinge body, the passageway having a plurality of contoured surfaces, the plurality of contoured surfaces allowing the hinged robotic actuator to actuate in a manner that provides substantially decoupled actuation from another actuator of the robotic arm distal to the hinged robotic actuator.   
     
     
         2 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the robotic arm includes a plurality of actuators coupled in series and the plurality of contoured surfaces allowing actuation of one of the plurality of actuators without actuation of another. 
     
     
         3 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 1 , wherein, in use, the plurality of contoured surfaces enable a pass-through cable to pass through the contoured pathway for actuation of a distal actuator of the robotic arm and maintain a length of the pass-through cable disposed within the hinged actuator substantially constant over substantially all of a range of motion of the hinged actuator. 
     
     
         4 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 1 , wherein, in use, the plurality of contoured surfaces enable a plurality of pass-through cables to pass through the contoured pathway for actuation of a plurality of distal actuator of the robotic arm and maintain a length of the plurality of pass-through cable disposed within the hinged actuator substantially constant over substantially all of a range of motion of the hinged actuator. 
     
     
         5 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 1 , further comprising a distal body hingedly connected with the main hinge body. 
     
     
         6 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 5 , wherein the distal body defines a plurality of guide holes, the plurality of guide holes and the passageway of the main hinge body determining a neutral axis of passage through the hinged actuator whose length does not substantially change over a range of motion of the actuator. 
     
     
         7 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of guide holes of the distal body and the passageway of the main hinge body enable a plurality of pass-through cables to extend through the hinged actuator along the neutral axis. 
     
     
         8 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 5 , wherein the main hinge body has first portion with an inward facing first surface, a second portion with an inward facing second surface opposite the first surface, and a gap therebetween;
 wherein the rotatable mechanism comprises a pulley or capstan at least partially disposed in the gap between the first surface and the second surface of the main hinge body; and   wherein the distal body extends at least partially over an outward facing third surface of the main hinge body and at least partially over an outward facing fourth surface of the main hinge body facing away from the third surface.   
     
     
         9 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 8 , wherein the passageway extending through the main hinge body extends through the first portion of the hinge body; and
 wherein the hinged robotic actuator further comprises a second passageway extending through the second portion of the main hinge body, the second passageway having a second plurality of contoured surfaces.   
     
     
         10 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 8 , wherein in use, the plurality of contoured surfaces enable a pass-through cable to pass through the contoured pathway for actuation of a distal actuator of the robotic arm and maintain a length of the pass-through cable disposed within the hinged actuator substantially constant over substantially all of a range of motion of the hinged actuator; and
 wherein a second plurality of contoured surfaces enable a second pass-through cable to pass through the contoured pathway for actuation of a distal actuator of the robotic arm and maintain a length of the second pass-through cable disposed within the hinged actuator substantially constant over substantially all of a range of motion of the hinged actuator.   
     
     
         11 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 5 , wherein the distal body comprises a female component hingedly connected with the main hinge body. 
     
     
         12 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 11 , wherein the female component includes or defines a female bearing surface. 
     
     
         13 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable mechanism comprises a pulley or a capstan; and
 wherein the hinged robotic actuator is configured for the pulley or the capstan to be rotated in a first direction of rotation by an actuator cable and to be rotated in a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation by the same actuator cable.   
     
     
         14 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable mechanism comprises a pulley or a capstan; and
 wherein the hinged robotic actuator is configured for the pulley or the capstan to be rotated in a first direction of rotation by a first actuator cable and to be rotated in a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation by a second actuator cable.   
     
     
         15 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 1 , further comprising a male hinge body that is a portion of, is attached to, or is configured to attach to the main hinge body. 
     
     
         16 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 15 , wherein the male hinge body has a surface with a contoured profile corresponding to the contoured surfaces of the passageway. 
     
     
         17 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 15 , wherein the male hinge body includes or defines a male bearing surface. 
     
     
         18 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 15 , wherein the male hinge body includes a boss functioning as a hinge pin and defining a hinge axis. 
     
     
         19 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 1 , further comprising a position sensor or encoder for measuring a position of a portion of the hinged robotic actuator relative to another portion of the hinged robotic actuator. 
     
     
         20 . The hinged robotic actuator of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one strain gauge attached to a component of the hinged robotic actuator experiencing strain during loading of the main hinge body.