Abstract: A method for displaying guidance information during an image-guided medical procedure includes receiving, by one or more hardware processors, data from a tracking system associated with an elongate device comprising a flexible body, calculating a bend radius along a length of the flexible body, determining supplemental guidance information that includes an indication of whether the bend radius is less than a minimum allowable bend radius, augmenting images with the supplemental guidance information to produce augmented images by applying a scheme in which a portion of a graphical representation of the flexible body having a radius less than the minimum is augmented with a visual property, displaying the augmented images on a display device at a console, determining a direction to steer the flexible body to increase the bend radius, and displaying actuation information on the display device. The actuation information includes a directional indicator to display the direction.

Abstract: A teleoperational medical system comprises a teleoperational assembly including an operator control system, a first teleoperational manipulator, a first medical instrument, and a processing unit including one or more processors. The first teleoperational manipulators is configured for operation by an operator control device of the operator control system. The first teleoperational manipulator is configured to control the operation of the first medical instrument in a surgical environment. The processing unit is configured to display an image of a field of view of the surgical environment and display a menu proximate to an image of the first medical instrument in the image of the field of view. The menu includes at least one state indicator representing a state of a component of the first medical instrument.

Abstract: A medical device includes a mechanical structure and a force sensor unit. The force sensor unit comprises a mounting bracket, a first rod, a second rod, a first magnet, a second magnet, a first coil coupled to the mounting bracket, and a second coil coupled to the mounting bracket. The first rod and the second rod each have a center axis defined between a proximal and distal portion of the respective first and second rods. The center axis of the second rod is noncoaxial with the center axis of the first rod. The first magnet is coupled to the first rod and translates within the first coil along the center axis of the first rod. Similarly, the second magnet is coupled to the second rod and translates within the second coil along the center axis of the second rod.

Abstract: A cannula mount for a surgical system includes a body configured to receive a portion of a cannula in a mounted state at the cannula mount; a pair of clamping components coupled to the body and configured to clamp the portion of the cannula in the mounted state of the cannula; and a latch assembly pivotably coupled to the body and slidably coupled to a clamping component of the pair of clamping components. At least one of the pair of clamping components is pivotable relative to the body to move the pair of clamping components between a first state to unclamp a cannula mounted at the cannula mount and a second state to clamp a cannula mounted at the cannula mount. Pivoting motion of the latch assembly relative to the body causes a portion of the latch assembly to slide along the clamping component and change a state of the pair of clamping components from an unlocked state to a locked state in the second state of the pair of clamping components.

Abstract: A force sensor includes an annular diaphragm that includes an inner perimeter and an outer perimeter; the diaphragm has an outer annular portion having a tapered thickness that increases with decreasing radial distance from the outer perimeter; the diaphragm has an inner annular portion having a tapered thickness that increases with decreasing radial distance from the inner perimeter; a first strain gauge at the outer annular portion; and a second strain gauge at the inner annular portion.

Abstract: An exemplary method includes a demosaic module receiving a frame of raw pixels having values in a first color space, generating vertical and horizontal color difference signals using information from the frame of raw pixels, generating reconstructed color pixel values for raw pixels that are missing captured color pixel values of a first color component of the first color space, transforming the captured and reconstructed color pixel values of the first color component to brightness pixel values in a second color space, and transforming the vertical and horizontal color difference signals into chrominance pixel values in the second color space.

Abstract: A cart for supporting one or more instruments during a computer-assisted remote procedure can comprise a base; a steering interface having a portion configured to be grasped by a user; a sensor mechanism configured to detect a force applied to the steering interface by a user; and a switch operable between an engaged position and a disengaged position. The cart may further include a drive system comprising a control module operably coupled to receive an input from the sensor mechanism in response to the force applied to the steering interface and, on the condition that the switch is in the engaged position, to output a movement command based on the received input from the sensor mechanism. A driven wheel mounted to the base of the cart may be configured to impart motion to the cart in response to the movement command.

Abstract: Described are optical fibers, e.g., for use in stress-sensing or shape-sensing applications, that use overlapping grating configurations with chirped gratings to facilitate strain delay registration. In accordance with various embodiments, a fiber core may, for instance, have two overlapping sets of chirped gratings that differ in the direction of the chirp between the first and second sets, or a set of chirped gratings overlapping with a single-frequency grating. Also described are strain sensing systems and associated computational methods employing optical fibers with overlapping gratings.

Abstract: A system may access an image that is captured by an imaging device and that depicts an operational scene illuminated by close-range light. The system may also access a depth map of the operational scene that includes depth data corresponding to each pixel in the image. Based on the depth map, the system may determine a far-range lighting coefficient for each pixel in the image based on a relationship between the corresponding depth data included in the depth map for that respective pixel and a target distance to a virtual light source that is to be simulated to be illuminating the operational scene. Based on the image and these far-range lighting coefficients, the system may generate a processed image depicting the operational scene as being illuminated by the virtual light source and may provide the processed image for presentation on a display screen. Corresponding systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method for processing video comprises storing, at a video data buffer, an input video frame data received from a source, causing the stored video frame data to be output from the video data buffer at an output video frame rate, and varying the output video frame rate based on a comparison of an amount of video frame data stored at the video data buffer to a threshold amount of frame data. The threshold amount of frame data may be based on a target total latency between capture of the input video frame data at the source and display of the stored video frame data output from the video data buffer.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cutting element indication include an end effector having a jaw for clamping a material and a cutting element within the end effector and a processor. The cutting element is moveable relative to the end effector. The cutting element is driven by a drive element and a mechanism coupling the drive element to the cutting element. The processor is configured to determine a position of the cutting element relative to the end effector via a displacement of the drive element and a displacement of the mechanism and display, on a user interface, an indicator of the position of the cutting element relative to the end effector.

Abstract: Surgical systems configured to determine whether a surgical cartridge is present and unfired. A surgical system includes a surgical instrument, a drive source, a sensor and a controller. The surgical instrument is configured to receive and support a surgical cartridge. The drive source is drivingly coupled with an actuation output. The sensor is configured to generate a sensor output indicative of movement of the actuation output. The controller controls the drive source to attempt to actuate the actuation output opposite to the firing direction by a predetermined amount. The controller determines that the surgical cartridge is present and unfired when the resulting actuation amount of the actuation output is less than a threshold actuation amount.

Abstract: An end effector drive mechanism has first and second pulleys and first and second jaws configured as a torque-amplifying tool assemblies. Each pulley jaw pair is configured as kinematic assembly having a compact footprint that can amplify outputs to increase the grip force applied by the jaws. The end effector drive mechanism is within a pulley envelope defined by the first and second pulleys. In certain configurations, the tool assemblies are configured to produce a grip force independent from a push-pull force that is exerted on (or by) the jaws. In certain configurations, the tool assemblies are configured to prevent undesirable reverse rotations and limit the range of travel of the jaws (or pulleys).

Abstract: An actuation mechanism for a medical instrument includes a pinion and a face gear that move a push-pull element. The pinion has a mounting that permits rotation of the pinion by an external control system such as a robot. The face gear meshes with the pinion. The push-pull element may have a proximal end coupled to the face gear and a distal end coupled to a tool at a distal end of an instrument shaft. A manipulator coupled for manual rotation of the actuation mechanism may include a slip clutch to prevent manual application of excessive force to the actuation mechanism.

Abstract: An instrument includes a movable end effector component coupled to a shaft; a force transmission mechanism; and an actuation mechanism coupled to the force transmission mechanism and the end effector, the actuation mechanism comprising a first actuation member segment and a second actuation member segment. The force transmission mechanism comprises: a first pulley coupled to a rotatable drive input and having a first axis of rotation, and a second pulley having a second axis of rotation non-parallel to the first axis of rotation of the first pulley. The first actuation member segment is routed over the first pulley. In response to rotation of the rotatable drive input, at least a portion of the first actuation member segment is wound onto the first pulley and unwound from the second pulley, and the second actuation member segment is translated along the shaft to actuate the movable end effector component.

Abstract: A system may comprise an image capture device to capture an image of a work site. The system may also comprise a processor to determine whether a tool disposed at the work site is energized and determine a first area of the captured image of the work site, including or adjacent to an image of a portion of the tool in the captured image. The processor may also determine a second area of the captured image including a remainder of the captured image that does not include the first area. Conditioned upon determining that the tool is energized, at least one of the first area and the second area of the captured image of the work site may be processed to indicate that the tool in the first area is being energized. The image of the work site with the first area and the second area may be displayed.

Abstract: Disturbance compensation in computer-assisted devices include a first articulated arm configured to support an imaging device a second articulated arm configured to support an end effector, and a control unit coupled to the first articulated arm and the second articulated arm. The control unit is configured to set a first reference frame, where the first reference frame is based on a first position of the imaging device at a first time. The control unit is further configured to detect a first disturbance to the first articulated arm moving the imaging device away from the first position, receive a command to move the end effector, and transform the command to move the end effector from a command in the first reference frame to a command in a reference frame for the end effector.

Abstract: In accordance with at least one exemplary embodiment, a surgical instrument comprises a shaft comprising a distal end, a proximal end, and a wall extending from the distal end to the proximal end, the wall surrounding an interior of the shaft. A transmission housing is located at the proximal end of the shaft and the shaft is rotatably coupled to the transmission housing. An actuator in the transmission housing is operably coupled to actuate rotation of the shaft. A port accessible from an exterior of the transmission housing is configured to be fluidically coupled to a fluid supply. A manifold in the transmission housing comprises an inlet and an outlet, the inlet being in fluid communication with the port, the outlet being in fluid communication with the interior of the shaft at the proximal end of the shaft.

Abstract: Techniques for grasp adjustment include a computer-assisted device comprising a repositionable structure configured to support an end effector and one or more processors. The one or more processors are configured to receive one or more images of the end effector; determine, based on the one or more images, at least one of a first length between a proximal end of jaws of the end effector and a proximal end of a grasping zone, a second length corresponding to a length of the grasping zone, a third length between a distal end of the grasping zone and the distal end of the at least one jaw; or an angle between the jaws of the end effector; and adjust a force or a torque magnitude limit used to limit actuation of the end effector based on at least one of the first length, the second length, the third length, or the angle.

Abstract: Surgical stapling instruments include mechanisms for identifying and/or deactivating stapler cartridges for use with the instruments. The stapling instrument includes a drive member for actuating a staple cartridge and a locking member movable from a disabled position permitting distal translation of the drive member through a staple firing stroke, to a locking position inhibiting distal translation of the drive member through the staple firing stroke. The staple cartridge may include a switch movable in a lateral direction to either maintain the locking member in the disabled position or to allow the locking member to move into the locking position. The instrument may further include a stapler cartridge including an annular pin configured to be engaged by a drive member at a an axial position to create a detectable resistance for reload detection by a control unit to identify the type of stapler cartridge present in the surgical stapling instrument.