Intelligent Laparoscopic Assistant Robot through Surgery Task Model: How to Give Intelligence to Medical Robots

摘要

Laparoscopy has become one of the most popular surgical techniques since the 1990s due to its surgical effectiveness, fast recovery and good cosmetic outcome. From simple to more complex surgeries, the proportion of laparoscopic to open procedures is continuously increasing. Due to small incision, patients can regain health without much trauma and hospitalization; however, the operating surgeons suffer from limited range of motion, reduced flexibility, loss of tactile sensation and limited depth perception compared to open surgery. One of the important issues for successful surgery is the cooperation between the operating surgeon and the assistant as it is directly related to how the surgeon can perform surgical tasks. Manipulating vessels and organs using long tools without direct visual feedback requires utmost attention and the assistant should maneuver the laparoscope without disrupting the operating surgeon. Novice assistants often suffer from: (a) the difficulty in properly positioning the laparoscope in three-dimensional space based on the projected images on a monitor, (b) the presence of the fulcrum effect at the trocar insertion point, and (c) the hand tremor caused by fatigue. To alleviate the effect of these difficulties, some