KUKA Deutschland GmbH

All robot capabilities that are particularly required in medical technology are bundled by the LBR Med. KUKA supplies the LBR Med as a robotic component for integration into a medical product. This integration is surprisingly easy, as KUKA provides you with a CB Report in accordance with IEC 60601-1 and IEC 62304 for the LBR Med.
In 2018 the KUKA LBR Med was honored with the renowned IERA Award. The KUKA LBR Med convinced the jury thanks to its wide range of potential applications, the safety technologies required for integration into medical products and the great importance of medical therapy, rehabilitation and nursing care in an aging society.

Ultrasound demo:
An ultrasonic transducer attached to the flange of the LBR Med is guided over the body to be examined. The path required for the examination is set manually by the operator by moving the robot with the ultrasonic probe along the points to be examined. The robot records the path internally and can then repeat the learned path independently and with constant pressure.

Trocar application:
The trocar application illustrates how the robot can fix a specific entry point manually defined by the operator for minimally invasive surgery. The robot memorizes the entry point and allows the operator to manually move the robot around this point without exerting any force on the entry point, the so-called trocar point. This helps to minimize the patient injuries during surgery.

Spinal column application:
The spinal column application demonstrates that the robot can be used like an intelligent, precisely positioned holding arm. It can be controlled, moved and fixed with any medical device, e.g. a guide for a drill or catheter. In addition, the operator can manually guide the robot along the spine. Any desired point can be fixed and memorized. The robot could also be connected to a therapy planning system and commanded by it. Before the surgery, the target positions are determined using the patient images, e.g. from MRT or X-ray examinations and those positions are communicated to the LBR Med.

Elbow application:
The robot is kinematically overdesigned with its seven serially arranged axes. The elbow application demonstrates the possible zero space movement. The robot keeps its tool center point constant on the path or at a fixed position in space, while the elbow of the robot can be moved. The sensitivity of the robot is also demonstrated, because the user can manipulate the elbow of the robot manually, while the robot itself carries out its task unperturbed.

2D path application:
In order to demonstrate that the LBR Med can also perform pure robot tasks, a 2D path application is presented. It precisely follows rigid movements. A path printed on the table of the demo application is traversed continuously and alternately – once going directly from point to point and once using a calculated rounded path between points. This makes it clear to the viewer that a therapy planning system can also calculate complex therapy paths and send them to the robot for execution.

If the demo is changed, a tool change may be necessary. To do this, the robot moves to the tool change stand, where the user can remove the current tool from the flange and replace it with the new one. An ingenious currentless mechanism is used, which firmly holds the tool magnetically to the flange and releases it very easily by manually moving a lever. Shifting the lever causes the magnetic field either to flow through a metal plate in the tool, fixing the tool to the flange, or to short-circuit the magnetic field inside the flange and release the tool. This technique has already impressed customers because it allows the field strength of the integrated permanent magnet to be used to set a desired breakaway or shear force, making it easier to solve the MRK questions of risk analysis in one application or another.

A strong partner in many fields

The KR QUANTEC HC is based on the KR 300 R2700-2. A trademark feature is the high and versatile payload of up to 300 kg, which predestines the robot for use in almost all areas. In addition, the KR QUANTEC HC has a reach of up to 2,700 mm and additional brakes in the axes, which ensure even greater safety. The KR QUANTEC HC comes with a counterbalance system and a pressure sensor, which allows that the pressure is checked during use and the robot is stopped if the pressure drops. Thanks to the person rescue system, the brakes can be opened manually in case of unpredicted situation for example in order to be able to move the KR QUANTEC HC manually in the event of a power failure.

Additional brakes. Compared with the standard version of the KR QUANTEC series, additional brakes are integrated in axes 2 to 5. They ensure that the robot is stopped even if the first brake fails.

The new generation of KUKA Sunrise.OS Med 2.6 software generation for LBR Med

The Java-based software generation for the LBR Med – Sunrise.OS Med 2.6 – meets the requirements of IEC 62304:2006 (First Edition) + A1:2015. The system software offers all functions needed for programming and configuring medical robot applications. Object-oriented programming with Java enables fast commissioning and, based on Java 8 and Windows 10, access to high-end robotics. Thereby, the software additionally offers a user-friendly program editor with many powerful comfort functions such as:

KUKA Sunrise.FRI Med / KUKA Sunrise.Servoing Med / KUKA Sunrise.PreciseHandGuiding / KUKA Sunrise. IncreasedStiffness / KUKA Sunrise.BrakeHandling