Abstract: The present invention relates to a minimally invasive surgical instrument having an improved joint. According to one aspect of the present invention, provided is a minimally invasive surgical instrument including a shaft, a joint part which is coupled to one end of the shaft, and an end effector which is coupled to the joint part and can effect joint movement thereby. The joint part comprises a plurality of joint links, and a joint for pitch-direction operation and a joint for yaw direction operation, the joints being formed by interposing at least one of the plurality of joint links.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a convenient, minimally invasive surgical instrument, and more particularly to a minimally invasive surgical instrument to allow a user to operate an end effector by manipulating a handling unit or the like to perform a minimally invasive surgery in a delicate and convenient manner. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising: a shaft; an end effector being connected to one end of the shaft via a joint unit; a rotation manipulation unit being connected to to the other end of the shaft, the rotation manipulation unit comprising a gyro link including a gyro wheel; and a plurality of wires being connected between the joint unit and the gyro wheel, wherein the end effector carries out joint motion by the joint unit according to the action of at least some of the plurality of wires caused by a manipulation of the gyro wheel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a minimally invasive surgical instrument having a bent shaft, and more particularly to a minimally invasive surgical instrument in which at least a part of a shaft includes a bend. According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a minimally invasive surgical instrument comprising: a shaft; an end effector connected to one end of the shaft; a joint unit interposed between the shaft and the end effector; and a plurality of wires connected to the joint unit to enable the end effector to carry out joint motion, wherein the shaft comprises at least one bend, and the at least one bend may transmit therein force to operate the end effector in a roll direction, independently of the shaft. The present invention relates to a minimally invasive surgical instrument having a bent shaft, and more particularly, to a minimally invasive surgical instrument in which at least a portion of a shaft is curved.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a minimally invasive surgical instrument having a shaft including an internal torque transmission member. According to one aspect of the present invention, the minimally invasive surgical instrument comprises a shaft, and an end effector connected to one end of the shaft. The shaft has at least one curved portion, and the at least one curved portion can transmit torque for operating the end effector in a rolling direction by means of a torque-transmission member therein.

Abstract: Provided is a surgical robot system for realizing single-port surgery and multi-port surgery, the system comprising: an operating device; and a controlling device for electro-mechanically controlling the operating device, wherein the operating device includes an alignment section having a plurality of main robot arms, and a plurality of manipulating sections each having a plurality of auxiliary robot arms, and in the multi-port surgery mode, the plurality of main robot arms and at least a portion of the plurality of auxiliary robot arms are operated so that each surgical tool coupled to each of the plurality of manipulating sections can be placed in correspondence with each of a plurality of incisions, and in the single-port surgery mode, the plurality of main robot arms and at least a portion of the plurality of auxiliary robot arms are operated so that each surgical tool coupled to each of the plurality of manipulating sections can be aligned in correspondence with one incision.

Abstract: A phase-change random-access memory (PRAM) device includes a chalcogenide element, the chalcogenide element comprising a material which can assume a crystalline state or an amorphous state upon application of a heating current. A first contact is connected to a first region of the chalcogenide element and has a first cross-sectional area. A second contact is connected to a second region of the chalcogenide element and having a second cross-sectional area. A first programmable volume of the chalcogenide material is defined in the first region of the chalcogenide element, a state of the first programmable volume being programmable according to a resistance associated with the first contact. A second programmable volume of the chalcogenide material is defined in the second region of the chalcogenide element, a state of the second programmable volume being programmable according to a second resistance associated with the second contact.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device includes first conductive lines on a substrate, an interlayer insulating layer with a plurality of via holes on the substrate, second conductive lines on the interlayer insulating layer, and a resistive memory material in the via holes and electrically connected to the first and second conductive lines, the resistive memory material having a vertically non-uniform specific resistance profile with respect to the substrate.

Abstract: A phase-change memory device has an oxidation barrier layer to protect against memory cell contamination or oxidation. In one embodiment, a semiconductor memory device includes a molding layer disposed over semiconductor substrate, a phase-changeable material pattern, and an oxidation barrier of electrically insulative material. The molding layer has a protrusion at its upper portion. One portion of the phase-changeable material pattern overlies the protrusion of the molding layer, and another portion of the phase-changeable material pattern extends through the protrusion. The electrically insulative material of the oxidation barrier may cover the phase-changeable material pattern and/or extend along and cover the entire area at which the protrusion of the molding layer and the portion of the phase-change material pattern disposed on the protrusion adjoin.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a surgical robot system having a tool for minimally invasive surgery. More specifically, the present invention relates to a surgical robot system that helps a user such as a surgeon control the tool for minimally invasive surgery in a dexterous and convenient manner.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an easy-to-control tool for minimally invasive surgery and a method for using the same.

Abstract: A switching device disposed in a substrate is turned on and a program current is applied to a fuse electrically connected to a switching device, thereby cutting the fuse. The fuse includes a first electrode electrically connected to the switching device, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, and a chalcogenide pattern disposed between the first and second electrodes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an easy-to-control tool for minimally invasive surgery and a method for using the same.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an easy-to-control tool for minimally invasive surgery.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an easy-to-control tool for minimally invasive surgery.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, at least a portion of the phase change material including a first crystalline phase is converted to one of a second crystalline phase and an amorphous phase. The second crystalline phase transitions to the amorphous phase more easily than the first crystalline phase. For example, the first crystalline phase may be a hexagonal closed packed structure, and the first crystalline phase may be a face centered cubic structure.

Abstract: In a memory device and in a method of programming the same, a memory device comprises: a plurality of memory cells, each memory cell comprising a resistance-changeable material that has an initial resistance that is determined in response to an applied programming current in a programming operation; and a modification circuit that modifies the resistance of the memory cell following a programming operation of the memory cell to vary the resistance of the memory cell from the initial resistance to a second resistance by applying a saturation current in a saturation operation. Each memory cell is connected to a conduction line of the memory device that is used to apply the programming current to program the resistance of the corresponding memory cell in the programming operation, that is used to apply the saturation current to the corresponding memory cell in the saturation operation and that is used to apply a read current to read the resistance of the corresponding memory cell in a subsequent read operation.

Abstract: In a method of controlling resistance drift in a memory cell of a resistance-changeable material memory device, the resistance changeable material in the memory cell is treated so that a drift parameter for the memory cell is less than about 0.18, wherein a change in resistance of a memory cell over the time period is determined according to the relationship: Rdrift=Rinitial×t?; where Rdrift represents a final resistance of the memory cell following the time period, Rinitial represents the initial resistance of the memory cell following the programming operation, t represents the time period; and ? represents the drift parameter.

Abstract: A method of programming a one-time programmable device is provided. A switching device disposed in a substrate is turned on and a program current is applied to a fuse electrically connected to the switching device, thereby cutting the fuse. The fuse includes a first electrode electrically connected to the switching device, a second electrode spaced apart from the first electrode, and a chalcogenide pattern disposed between the first and second electrodes. Related one-time programmable devices, phase change memory devices and electronic systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A phase-change random-access memory (PRAM) device includes a chalcogenide element, the chalcogenide element comprising a material which can assume a crystalline state or an amorphous state upon application of a heating current. A first contact is connected to a first region of the chalcogenide element and has a first cross-sectional area. A second contact is connected to a second region of the chalcogenide element and having a second cross-sectional area. A first programmable volume of the chalcogenide material is defined in the first region of the chalcogenide element, a state of the first programmable volume being programmable according to a resistance associated with the first contact. A second programmable volume of the chalcogenide material is defined in the second region of the chalcogenide element, a state of the second programmable volume being programmable according to a second resistance associated with the second contact.

Abstract: A PRAM and method of forming the same are disclosed. In various embodiments, the PRAM includes a lower insulation layer formed on a semiconductor substrate, a phase change material pattern formed on the lower insulation layer and a heating electrode contacting the phase change material pattern. The heating electrode can be formed of a material having a positive temperature coefficient such that specific resistance of the material increases as a function of temperature.