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The present invention is a miniature camera robot which can be placed entirely within an open space such as an abdominal cavity. The instant camera robot has pan and tilt capabilities, an adjustable focus camera, and a support component for supporting the robot body. In particular embodiments, the camera robot further contains a light source for illumination and a handle to position the camera robot. A system and method for using the instant camera robot are also provided.

Inventors: Dmitry Oleynikov, Shane M. Farritor, Mark E. Rentschler, Stephen R. Platt, Jason Dumpert
Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska
Primary Examiner: Paul Ip
Attorney: Paegre & Benson LLP
Current U.S. Classification: 318/568.12; 128/899; 318/568.11; 398/14

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Referenced by

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US7492116Apr 3, 2007Feb 17, 2009Board of Regents of the University of NebraskaRobot for surgical applications
US7772796Nov 29, 2007Aug 10, 2010Board of Regents of the University of NebraskaRobotic devices with agent delivery components and related methods
US7960935Jun 16, 2010Jun 14, 2011The Board of Regents of the University of NebraskaRobotic devices with agent delivery components and related methods
US8201979Nov 20, 2009Jun 19, 2012Pelican Products, Inc.Collapsible light

Claims

1. A camera robot for surgical procedures, the robot comprising:

(a) a body comprising a camera disposed within the body;

(b) a rotation component pivotally coupled with the body, the rotation component comprising at least one of a pan component and a tilt component;

(c) a handle coupled with a first end of the body; and

(d) a non-attachable support component coupled with the body, wherein the body, rotation component, and support component are sized to fit within an animal body cavity.

2. The camera robot of claim 1, wherein the non-attachable support component comprises at least two legs.

3. The camera robot of claim 1, wherein the non-attachable support component comprises a foot.

4. The camera robot of claim 1, wherein the non-attachable support component is moveable between a collapsed position and a deployed position.

5. The camera robot of claim 1, wherein the non-attachable support component is a collapsible tripod.

6. The camera robot of claim 1, wherein the body further comprises an adjustable-focus component associated with the camera.

7. The camera robot of claim 1, wherein the body is substantially cylindrical.

8. The camera robot of claim 1, wherein the rotation component comprises the pan component and the tilt component.

9. The camera robot of claim 1, further comprising an external controller operably coupled with the robot.

10. The camera robot of claim 9, wherein the external controller is wirelessly coupled with the robot.

11. The camera robot of claim 1, further comprising a light source operably coupled with the body.

12. The camera robot of claim 11, wherein the light source is disposed on the handle.

13. The camera robot of claim 1, further comprising at least one sensor associated with the body.

14. The camera robot of claim 1, further comprising a power source operably coupled with the body.

15. A robotic camera system for surgical procedures, the system comprising:

(a) a camera robot sized to fit within a body cavity of an animal, the robot comprising:
(i) a body comprising a camera disposed within the body;
(ii) a rotation component pivotally coupled with the body, wherein the rotation component comprises at least one of a pan component and a tilt component; and
(iii) a handle coupled with a first end of the body;
(iv) a non-attachable support component coupled with the body; and
(b) an external controller coupled with the robot.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the external controller is wirelessly coupled with the robot.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the body further comprises an adjustable-focus component associated with the camera.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising a power source operably coupled with the body.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the non-attachable support component comprises at least two legs.

20. A camera robot comprising:

(a) a body comprising a camera disposed within the body, the camera comprising:
(ii) an image sensor operably coupled within the lens; and
(iii) an adjustable-focus component coupled with the lens and image sensor;

(b) a pan and tilt component comprising:
(i) a connection component;
(ii) a pivotal connection coupled with the body and the connection component; and
(iii) a rotatable connection coupled with the connection component; and
(c) a handle coupled with an end of the body; and
(d) a support component coupled with the rotatable connection, wherein the support component is configured such that the component does not fixedly attach to any surface, and wherein the robot is sized to fit within an animal body cavity.

Drawings