Microdexterity Systems, Inc.

Other

Steve T Charles

J Michael Stuart

Larry Bronisz

Robert S Stoughton

The present invention provides a surgical manipulator which capable of manipulating a surgical or medical tool in up to six degrees of freedom. The manipulator has a relatively lightweight, compact design as a result of the use of high force to mass ratio actuators. The manipulator includes a mounting fixture which permits the manipulator to be fixed relative to a portion of a body of a patient.

Surgical manipulator

A surgical manipulator ( ) can manipulate a medical tool ( ) with one or more degrees of freedom. In preferred embodiments, the manipulator ( ) is a parallel mechanism including a plurality of arms ( ) pivotally supporting a medical tool ( ), with the orientation of the medical tool ( ) being adjusted by varying the position of joints ( ) mounted on the arms ( ). The motions of the joints ( ) can be controlled such that the tool ( ) is pivoted about a virtual pivot point located within the body wall of a patient ( ). The manipulator ( ) can enhance the dexterity of an operator and enable the operator to perform medical procedures more easily than by hand.

A manipulator for use in medical procedures can manipulate a medical tool with one or more degrees of freedom with respect to a patient. The manipulator is particularly useful for positioning a medical tool with respect to a patient disposed inside an imaging device such as a computer tomography machine.

Medical manipulator for use with an imaging device

A parallel mechanism is capable of positioning and orienting an end platform with up to six or more degrees of freedom. In preferred embodiments, the mechanism includes six links having a first and second ends. The first end is connected to an end platform for supporting a tool, while the second end is connected to an actuator capable of translating the second end. A rotational drive mechanism may be provided for rotating an object mounted on the end platform at varying orientations of the end platform independently of movement of the end platform as a whole. The links may be curved in order to avoid interference between adjoining links, thereby permitting an increased range of motion and improved dexterity of the mechanism.

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Germantown, TN, United States of America

Steve T Charles