Project Overview

The Next Frontier for Minimally Invasive Surgery.

The da Vinci® Xi™ Surgical System is an advanced tool for minimally invasive surgery. It acts as a natural extension of a surgeon's eyes and hands, through a combination of cutting-edge robotics, 3D stereoscopic vision, and intuitive human-interface controls. Seated at the ergonomic da Vinci console, the surgeon has 3D high-definition vision of the surgical field, with magnification 10x greater than the human eye. Intuitive hand controls allow the surgeon to operate with enhanced precision, dexterity and control, using tiny wristed instruments that bend and rotate far greater than the human hand. The da Vinci Surgical System's unique human to machine synchronization – called "following" – fosters a state of proprioception, a sense of the system being an extension of the surgeon's body. Via this model, the surgeon operates from a comfortable seated position with steady, natural motion and control.

Project Details

The Challenge.

Despite helping the surgeon navigate with dexterity and precision inside the body, computer-assisted surgical systems face unique design challenges outside the body. In developing the da Vinci Xi System we worked to overcome this and seek solutions for the following challenges:

GIVE SPACE BACK TO THE SURGICAL TEAM: Computer-assisted surgical systems can take up valuable space in the operating room (OR) and decrease bedside access to the patient. We wanted to reduce the footprint of the da Vinci Xi system without sacrificing functionality.

EASE OF USE FOR THE BEDSIDE STAFF: Complex systems should not feel complex to use, especially in a surgical environment. With da Vinci Xi we wanted to streamline interactions and make setup easier.

EMPOWER THE SURGEON: Surgeons are trained to be the captains of the OR, but working at the console puts them a distance away from their team. The da Vinci Xi System needed to improve surgeons' communication and further extend their vision and reach.

Problems and Solutions.

1. Space is always at a premium in the operating room (OR). Previous versions of the da Vinci System required the robot to be pulled right up to the patient, which rendered a significant portion of the patient-side inaccessible to surgical teams. To improve access, the da Vinci Xi System utilizes a new boom architecture that extends system reach and frees up space near the patient. Because the boom can extend and swivel about its shoulder, it creates more options for cart placement and layout. This solution gives needed space back to the surgical teams

2. Complex systems should not feel complex to use. For the da Vinci Xi System, designers took care not to overly "digitize" the product but instead to encourage a direct, intuitive, and uniquely "analog" model across most of the system's core interactions:

• Carbon color-accents identify key touch points on the system.

• A breakaway clutch enables users to grasp the system, then unlock and move the arms, without being aware of the complexity of that sequence.

• A robust cart drive allows users to position an approximately 1,800-pound system without being aware of its weight.

The clean and reduced design language elegantly communicates the use of a highly capable system. The new interface also offers guided setup and surgical site targeting, to optimize configuration for the specific procedure.

3. SURGEONS are trained to be the captains of the OR, but working at the console puts them a distance away from their staff. The da Vinci Xi System brings them closer through a re-engineered audio link with better microphone placement and clearer sound.

Because the system acts as a natural extension of a surgeon’s eyes and hands, designers also worked to improve the vision and reach. A new vision-architecture allows surgeons to see anatomical structures with crystal-clear 3D HD definition. The arms are thinner and the instruments are longer, enabling greater reach for the da Vinci Xi System both inside and outside the body.

The User.

The da Vinci Xi System serves to empower surgeons. It extends their eyes and hands and allows them to sit, not stand, during a procedure - helping them avoid the fatigue associated with traditional laparoscopic surgery.

But surgeons are not the only users. The design also addresses the specific needs of the patient-side staff with a greatly improved workflow.

Finally, the greatest benefit goes to patients who experience the reduced pain and quicker recovery times which come with choosing MIS.

Impact.

The da Vinci Surgical System is the only commercially viable product of its kind in the world.

Over the last decade, the da Vinci platform has brought computer-assisted minimally invasive surgery to more than 2.5 million patients worldwide. It is used in major centers in the United States, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, South Korea, Japan and many other countries around the world.

The da Vinci Xi System has opened the doors to procedures previously underserved by computer-assisted surgery. We continually perform human factors assessments to improve processes and solutions in pursuit of providing a minimally invasive option to those patients who can benefit from it.

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