RESOURCES
Powering Surgical Robots
Robotics and automation are rapidly becoming integral to the medical field as surgical assistants. Surgical robots are transforming various facets of healthcare, enabling doctors to conduct intricate surgical procedures with enhanced precision, adaptability, and control. These robots have been extensively adopted by hospitals around the globe. Growing investments in surgical robotics are further solidifying their presence in the medical sector, owing to proven benefits such as shorter surgery durations, less invasiveness, and quicker recovery, offering significant advantages to both the healthcare industry and patients.
Challenges in Powering Operating Rooms
Surgical suites now incorporate various subsystems such as embedded computers, motors, sensors, pumps, cameras, and robotic arms, which are elevating the power demands for Operating Rooms (ORs). The manufacturer of these surgical robots encountered the challenge of creating a power solution capable of delivering continuous power to the robot while also distributing AC and DC electrical power to numerous auxiliary components.
Despite the presence of backup generators in hospital facilities, the surgical robot also needed a battery backup, as even a minor delay or glitch during the transition between power sources could lead to erratic movements of the robotic arm, potentially causing harm to the operator and/or patient. A consistent, uninterrupted power supply ensures that the robotic arm can move to a secure holding position, allowing the surgeon to either take over manually or continue the surgery.
The demanding power requirements pose numerous challenges for design engineers in the field of surgical robotics, leading to potential project delays and increased expenses. The goals of the design project included:
Reducing reliance on internal engineering resources to accelerate time to market Avoiding the necessity to source a large number of parts and components from multiple vendors Minimizing unforeseen safety and EMC testing expenses that could significantly impact their budget Ensuring a dependable, safe, and continuous power supply
Astrodyne TDI Rackmount Power Distribution Solutions
Astrodyne TDI utilizes its extensive expertise to connect value-added integration with power solutions.
