Abstract: An articulated tool positioning apparatus comprising a base member, an intermediate member, an end member and a first tool holder arranged in succession, each of the base member, intermediate member, end member and tool holder having a respective central opening. A first plurality of coupled guides id positioned between the base member and the intermediate member and a second plurality of coupled guides is positioned between the intermediate member and the end member. A third plurality of coupled guides is diposed between the end member and the tool holder. The base member, intermediate member, end member, first tool holder and first second and third pluralities of coupled guides all have a central opening and guide openings or securing points for securing pluralities of flexible control links to the base member or to an object separated from the base member.

Abstract: A method for positioning an input device of a workstation for use by a seated user in controlling a robotic surgery system is disclosed. The input device is operable to generate input signals representing a position of a hand controller moveable within an input device workspace. The method involves determining a vertical position of the hand controller within the input device workspace for an input signal received from the input device while a seated user's hand is grasping the hand controller in an initialization position defined with respect to the user's body. The method also involves determining a user ergonomic height of the input device based on the vertical position of the hand controller at the initialization position, and causing a platform of the workstation on which the input device is mounted to move vertically with respect to a base of the workstation to position the input device at the ergonomic height.

Abstract: A hand controller for enabling a user to perform an activity and method for controlling a robotic arm is provided. The hand controller includes a bar with a grip and a plurality of motors to provide a force feedback to the user in response to the movement of the plurality of mechanical arms. The method involves receiving input corresponding to the manipulation of a bar and providing a force feedback in response to the movement of the plurality of mechanical arms.

Abstract: A robotic surgery cart has a pair of rear wheel assemblies and a pair of front wheel assemblies. A brake assembly for the robotic surgery cart includes a gearbox interposed between and connected to the pair of rear wheel assemblies by rotatable shafts. Elongate actuators extend between and interconnect the rotatable shafts and brake mechanisms for the front wheel assemblies. A pedal lever is rotatably coupled to the gearbox and can rotate clockwise by pressing one portion of the pedal lever and can rotate counterclockwise by pressing another portion of the pedal lever. Rotation of the pedal lever causes the gearbox to rotate the rotatable shafts to substantially lock the pair of rear wheel assemblies, and substantially simultaneously causes a translation of the elongate actuators to actuate the brake mechanisms of the front wheel assemblies, such that the wheels of the front and rear wheel assemblies brake substantially simultaneously.

Abstract: A foot pedal apparatus for use with a workstation operated by a seated user in controlling a robotic surgery system is disclosed. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes a platform mountable to the workstation proximate a floor surface on which the workstation is located. The apparatus also includes a first pedal mounted on the platform and having an upwardly disposed actuation surface, and a second pedal mounted vertically elevated with respect to the first pedal and having an upwardly disposed actuation surface, the second pedal having at least a proximate portion vertically overlapping a distal portion of the first pedal such that the first and second pedals have a mounted depth in a direction away from the user that is less than a sum of the respective individual depths of the first and second pedals.

Abstract: An end effector apparatus for a surgical instrument is disclosed. The apparatus includes a first jaw mounted on a first revolute joint, the first jaw having a manipulating portion extending forwardly from the first revolute joint and a lever arm projecting rearwardly from the first revolute joint. The apparatus also includes a second jaw having a manipulating portion generally opposing the manipulating portion of the first jaw, and a coupler having an actuation end disposed overlapping the lever arm of the first jaw, the first and second jaws being laterally spaced apart to provide clearance for the actuation end of the coupler. The apparatus further includes a linkage extending rearwardly between the actuation end of the coupler and the lever arm of the first jaw, the linkage being operable to cause opening and closing movements of the first jaw about the first revolute joint in response to reciprocating movement of the coupler.

Abstract: A robotic surgery system includes a control unit assembly that supports and operates one or more robotic tools and a mechanical arm assembly that movably supports the control unit assembly in space. The mechanical arm assembly includes a boom assembly with one or more boom arms rotatably coupled to each other via one or more joints and having one or more actuators. An elevating linkage assembly is coupled to the boom assembly and has an actuator operable to allow vertical movement of the control unit assembly in a substantially weightless manner. Yaw and pitch control assemblies are interposed between the elevating linkage assembly and the control unit assembly and have actuators operable to allow movement of the control unit assembly in yaw and pitch. The one or more actuators are actuatable to allow movement of the control unit assembly in space upon actuation of one or more user interfaces of the control unit assembly.

Abstract: In some embodiments an apparatus for providing access for a medical procedure in a patient's body cavity includes a stem configured for insertion through an opening in a body cavity wall. The stem has a bore and a cap is disposed at a proximal end thereof and includes an entry port in communication with the bore which receives an instrument to be inserted into the body cavity. An inflatable annular seal is disposed on the stem proximate the cap and a conduit extends through the cap providing pressurized gas at a first outlet in fluid communication with the body cavity providing insufflation pressure. A second outlet of the conduit is in fluid communication the seal, which when disposed inside the body cavity proximate the wall and inflated by pressurized gas, bears on an inner surface of the wall urging the cap into contact with an outer surface of the wall while sealing the opening.

Abstract: A sterile barrier system for a robotic surgery apparatus can include a drape coupler. The drape coupler can include an external surface configured to face a first surface of a first portion of the robotic surgery apparatus. The drape coupler can include at least one drape coupler fastener positioned at least partially on the external surface and configured to removably attach the drape coupler to the first surface. The drape coupler can be configured to at least partially cover the first surface. The system can include a drape made of a flexible material and coupled to the drape coupler, the drape configured to wrap around a second surface of the first portion of the robotic surgery apparatus, the second surface different from the first surface. The drape coupler and the drape can be sterile.

Abstract: A method of preparing a robotic surgery apparatus for a medical procedure can include covering a manipulator unit of the robotic surgery apparatus with a first sterile barrier by coupling a drape coupler of the first sterile barrier to a bottom surface of the manipulator unit and wrapping a drape of the first sterile barrier around side and top surfaces of the manipulator unit. The drape can be coupled to the drape coupler. The drape can be made of material that is more flexible than material of the drape coupler. The method can include covering an arm of the robotic surgery apparatus supporting the manipulator unit with a second sterile barrier that is distinct from the first sterile barrier by coupling the second sterile barrier to the arm and wrapping the second sterile barrier around the arm.

Abstract: A surgical instrument apparatus includes an elongate tubular body having a proximal end and a distal end and a bore extending through the tubular body; an actuator link extending through and configured to move longitudinally within the bore, the actuator link including a first end connected to a first actuator at the proximal end of the tubular body and a second end terminating in a coupler, wherein the first end of the first actuator causes the actuator link to selectively move between an extended state and a retracted state.

Abstract: An end effector apparatus for a surgical instrument is disclosed including a housing having a first jaw mounted on a revolute joint and providing a first electrical conduction path between the housing and the first jaw. A second jaw is mounted on a revolute joint within the housing and is insulated from the housing, the jaws each having a manipulating portion and a lever arm. A yoke is received within the housing and mechanically coupled to the lever arms and to a control link and is moveable in response to movements of the control link to cause opening and closing of the jaws, the yoke being electrically insulated from the housing and the first jaw. A second electrical conduction path is provided between the control link and the second jaw. The electrical conduction paths facilitate conduction of an electrocauterization current through tissue grasped between the jaws.

Abstract: A surgical instrument apparatus for removably receiving an end effector coupled to an elongate control link for actuating the end effector to perform surgical operations is disclosed. The apparatus includes an actuator housing and an elongate shaft extending from the actuator housing and having a bore for receiving the control link. The apparatus also includes an actuator mounted within the actuator housing and includes a clamp aperture disposed to receive the control link while the clamp aperture is being urged into an undamped state by an opening force, the clamp aperture being operably configured to move between the undamped state and a clamped state in response to the opening force being released, the aperture in the clamped state being operable to restrain the control link within the actuator for movement in a longitudinal direction substantially aligned with the elongate shaft.

Abstract: A method for positioning an input device of a workstation for use by a seated user in controlling a robotic surgery system is disclosed. The input device is operable to generate input signals representing a position of a hand controller moveable within an input device workspace. The method involves determining a vertical position of the hand controller within the input device workspace for an input signal received from the input device while a seated user's hand is grasping the hand controller in an initialization position defined with respect to the user's body. The method also involves determining a user ergonomic height of the input device based on the vertical position of the hand controller at the initialization position, and causing a platform of the workstation on which the input device is mounted to move vertically with respect to a base of the workstation to position the input device at the ergonomic height.

Abstract: In some embodiments, correcting an alignment error between an end effector of a tool associated with a slave and a master actuator associated with a master in a robotic system involves receiving at the master, master actuator orientation signals (RMCURR) representing the orientation of the master actuator relative to a master reference frame and generating end effector orientation signals (REENEW) representing the end effector orientation relative to a slave reference frame, producing control signals based on the end effector orientation signals, receiving an enablement signal for selectively enabling the control signals to be transmitted from the master to the slave, responsive to a transition of the enablement signal from not active state to active state, computing the master-slave misalignment signals (R?) as a difference between the master actuator orientation signals (RMCURR) and the end effector orientation signals (REENEW), and adjusting the master-slave misalignment signals (R?) to reduce the alignmen

Abstract: An illuminator apparatus and method for illuminating an object field imaged by a rectangular image sensor having a first aspect ratio is disclosed. The apparatus includes an optical fiber having a proximal end disposed to receive a plurality of input light beams, each light beam having differing spectral properties, the optical fiber being operable to transmit the light beams along the fiber to a distal end of the optical fiber. The apparatus also includes an integrating element disposed to receive the light beams from the distal end of the fiber and combine the light beams to produce a generally homogenous illumination beam at a rectangular output face of the integrating element. The apparatus further includes an illumination projector operable to project an image of the output face of the integrating element into the object field to produce a generally rectangular illuminated region of the object field substantially corresponding to the portion of the object field imaged by the rectangular image sensor.

Abstract: A tool apparatus and a method for actuating a tool apparatus are disclosed. The tool apparatus includes an actuator housing, and an elongate tool manipulator extending outwardly from the actuator housing and having a plurality of control links extending along a length of the tool manipulator. The control links are operable to cause movement of a distal end of the tool manipulator in response to movement of the control links in an actuating direction generally aligned with the length of the tool manipulator. The apparatus also includes a plurality of actuators, each actuator being associated with at least one of the control links and being mounted in the actuator housing to facilitate a range of travel in a transverse direction substantially orthogonal to the actuating direction, and a plurality of linkages. Each linkage is associated with one of the control links and extends between the control link and the respective actuator and is operable to transmit drive forces between the actuator and the control link.

Abstract: A stereoscopic image sensor apparatus including a pair of image sensors adjacently fabricated on a common carrier is disclosed, the common carrier being a diced portion of a carrier on which an aligned plurality of image sensors have been fabricated within an alignment tolerance, the alignment tolerance including a target lateral offset between the adjacent image sensors, and a target orientation between corresponding rows of light sensitive elements on the adjacent image sensors. An alternative stereoscopic image sensor apparatus includes a common window having first and second image sensors bonded to the common window within the alignment tolerance. Another alternative stereoscopic image sensor apparatus includes rear faces of respective first and second image sensors being bonded to a common circuit substrate within the alignment tolerance. Methods for fabricating the stereoscopic image sensors are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for positioning a camera of a surgical robotic system to capture images inside a body cavity of a patient during a medical procedure are disclosed. In some embodiments, the method involves receiving location information at a controller of a surgical robotic system performing the medical procedure, the location information defining a location of at least one tool with respect to a body cavity frame of reference, and in response to receiving an align command signal at the controller, causing the controller to produce positioning signals operable to cause the camera to be positioned within the body cavity frame of reference to capture images of the at least one tool for display to an operator of the surgical robotic system.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a hand controller apparatus for controlling a tool in a robotic surgery system can include a body configured to be moved to generate a first operator input to cause a tool to move corresponding to the movement of the body. The hand controller apparatus can also include an input control interface formed on a surface of the body and configured to sense one or more of a plurality of second operator inputs associated with a plurality of tool functions, the plurality of second operator inputs being different from the first operator input. The hand controller apparatus can also include a processor configured to control the tool to perform one or more of the plurality of tool functions in response to the sensed one or more second operator inputs.