Abstract: A surgical robot system is disclosed. The surgical robot system includes a handheld introducer and a flexible surgical device. A control unit includes a processor, and a memory that stores, among other things, machine readable instructions configured to be executed by a processor to control a flexible surgical device. The surgical robot system also includes an imaging device, and a tracking system. The processor is configured to generate guidance commands to control the flexible surgical device based on information relaying to the images of the flexible surgical device, and the position of at least on point of the handheld introducer.

Abstract: A system for visualizing an anatomical target includes an imaging device having a field of view for imaging a portion of a region to be imaged. A three-dimensional model is generated from pre-operative or intra-operative images and includes images of an internal volume in the region to be imaged not visible in the images from the imaging device. An image processing module is configured to receive images from the imaging device such that field of view images of the imaging device are stitched together to generate a composite image of the region to be imaged. The composite image is registered to real-time images and the three-dimensional model. An internal view module is configured to generate for display an internal view of the internal volume at one or more positions along the composite image.

Abstract: An intervention system employing an interventional robot (30), an interventional imaging modality (10) and an interventional controller (70). In 5 operation, the interventional controller (70) navigates an anatomical roadmap (82) of an anatomical region of a patient in accordance with an interventional plan to thereby control a navigation of the interventional robot (30) within the anatomical region in accordance with the anatomical roadmap (82).

Abstract: A control unit is provided for a surgical robot system, including a robot configured to operate an end-effector in a surgical site of a patient. The control unit includes a processor configured to transmit acquired live images of a patient, received from an image acquisition device, to a virtual reality (VR) device for display; to receive input data from the VR device, including tracking data from a VR tracking system of the VR device based on a user's response to the live images displayed on a viewer of the display unit of the VR device; to process the input data received from the VR device to determine a target in the patient; to determine a path for the end-effector to reach the target based upon the live images and the processed input data; and to transmit control signals to cause the robot to guide the end-effector to the target via the determined path.

Abstract: A markerless robot tracking system (10) employing a surgical RCM robot (20) including a primary revolute joint (22) rotatable about a primary rotational axis and a secondary revolute joint (22) rotatable about a secondary rotational axis. A plurality of unique landmark sets are integrated into the robot (20) with each unique landmark set including landmark(s) (30) in a fixed orientation relative to the primary rotational axis and further including additional landmark(s) (30) in a fixed orientation relative to the secondary rotational axis. The system (10) further an optical camera (41, 51) for visualizing a subset of the plurality of unique landmark sets within a camera coordinate system (43, 53), and a robot tracking controller (70) for estimating a robot pose of the surgical RCM robot (20) within the camera coordinate system (43, 53) derived from the visualization by the optical camera (41, 51) of the subset of landmark(s) within the camera coordinate system (43, 53).

Abstract: A method and system provide two light beams which intersect at a remote center of motion (RCM) of a robot having an end-effector at a distal end thereof; capture images of a planned entry point and a planned path through the RCM; register the captured images to three-dimensional pre-operative images; define an entry point and path for the RCM in the captured images using the light beams; detect and track in the captured images a reference object having a known shape; in response to information about the entry point, the path, and the reference object, compute robot joint motion parameters to align the end-effector to the planned entry point and planned path; and communicate the computed robot joint motion parameters to the robot to align the end-effector to the planned entry point and the planned path.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system for a minimally invasive procedure involving a planned tool trajectory through a planned incision point into a patient. The robotic surgical system employs an optical end-effector (50) (e.g., a laser point or an endoscope), a RCM robot (40) (e.g., a concentric arc robot), and a robot controller (60). In operation, the robot controller (60) controls an optical pointing by the RCM robot (40) of the optical end-effector (50) to one or more markers attached to the patient, and further controls an axial alignment by the RCM robot (40) of the optical end-effector (50) to the planned tool trajectory as illustrated within a volume image of the patient based on a registration of the remote center-of-motion to the planned incision point as illustrated within the volume image of the patient derived from the optical pointing.

Abstract: A workstation for calibrating a robotic instrument (42) has a distal tip (46) within an X-ray image space (35) of an X-ray modality (32). The workstation employs a calibration controller (50) for calibrating a remote center of motion (RCM) length of the robotic instrument (42) responsive to X-ray images (36) of different poses of the distal tip (46) of the robotic instrument (42) within the X-ray image space (35), and further employs a robotic instrument controller (40) for controlling a guidance of the robotic instrument (42) within the X-ray image space (35) from the RCM calibration. The robotic instrument (42) may include an endoscope whereby the calibration controller (50) is further employed to calibrate a focal length of the robotic instrument (42) responsive to the X-ray images (36) and one or more endoscope image(s) (48) of the X-ray image space (35) for controlling the guidance of the robotic instrument (42) within the X-ray image space (35) from the RCM/focal length calibrations.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus includes a first portion (123) having a first opening (125) for alignment with a port entry point. A second portion (127) is positionable for alignment with the first opening from a plurality of different positions. An actuation mechanism (142) is coupled to at least one of the first portion and the second portion to set relative positions of the first and second portions to permit a tool axis formed between the first and second portions to be aligned through the first opening such that a tool (104) provided on the tool axis would include a known position and orientation.

Abstract: A system for tracking a device image includes an intraoperative imaging system (110) having a probe (146) configured to generate an image for a region. A shape sensing enabled instrument (102) is configured to have a portion of the shape sensing enabled instrument positionable relative to the region. The shape sensing enabled instrument has a coordinate system registered with a coordinate system of the intraoperative imaging system. A robot is configured to coordinate movement between the probe and the shape sensing enabled instrument such that movement of the shape sensing enabled instrument relative to the region causes the probe to be moved to maintain the shape sensing enabled instrument within the image.

Abstract: A robotic acoustic probe for application with an interventional device (60). The robotic acoustic probe employs an acoustic probe (20) including a imaging platform (21) having a device insertion port (22) defining a device insertion port entry (23) and device insertion port exit (24), and further including an acoustic transducer array (25) are disposed relative the device insertion port exit (24). The robotic acoustic probe further employs a robotic instrument guide (40) including a base (41) mounted to the imaging platform (21) relative to the device insertion port entry (23), and an end-effector (45) coupled to the base (41) and transitionable between a plurality of poses relative to a remote-center-of-motion (49). The end-effector (45) defines an interventional device axis (48) extending through the device insertion port (22), and the remote-center-of-motion (49) is located on the interventional device axis (48) adjacent the device insertion port exit (24).

Abstract: A 3D echocardiography probe (20) (e.g., a 3D transesophageal echocardiography probe or a 3D intracardiac echocardiography probe) can be adapted into a 3D laparoscopic ultrasound probe (10a) for laparoscopic procedures. The 3D echocardiography probe includes a flexible shaft (22d, 22p) to which a laparoscopic adapter (30a) can be coupled. The laparoscopic adapter comprises a laparoscopic sleeve (31) configured to partially encircle a portion of the flexible shaft of the 3D echocardiography probe and a probe handle (33a) mountable to the laparoscopic sleeve (31).

Abstract: A robotic surgical system employs a surgical instrument (20), a robot (40) for navigating the surgical instrument (20) relative to an anatomical region (10) within a coordinate system (42) of the robot (40), and a robot controller (43) for defining a remote center of motion for a spherical rotation of the surgical instrument (20) within the coordinate system (42) of the robot (40) based on a physical location within the coordinate system (42) of the robot (40) of a port (12) into the anatomical region (10). The definition of the remote center of rotation is used by the robot controller (43) to command the robot (40) to align the remote center of motion of the surgical instrument (20) with the port (12) into the anatomical region (10) for spherically rotating the surgical instrument (20) relative to the port (12) into the anatomical region (10).

Abstract: A robotic punch system employs a robot unit and a control unit. The robot unit includes a robot and an endoscopic punch mounted to the robot. The endoscopic punch includes a calibrated spatial alignment of an endoscope and a punch. The control unit commands the robot for deploying the endoscopic punch in executing a puncture of an anatomical tissue.

Abstract: A control unit is provided for a surgical robot system, including a robot configured to operate an end-effector in a surgical site of a patient. The control unit includes a processor configured to transmit acquired live images of a patient, received from an image acquisition device, to a virtual reality (VR) device for display; to receive input data from the VR device, including tracking data from a VR tracking system of the VR device based on a user's response to the live images displayed on a viewer of the display unit of the VR device; to process the input data received from the VR device to determine a target in the patient; to determine a path for the end-effector to reach the target based upon the live images and the processed input data; and to transmit control signals to cause the robot to guide the end-effector to the target via the determined path.

Abstract: A markerless robot tracking system (10) employing a surgical RCM robot (20) including a primary revolute joint (22) rotatable about a primary rotational axis and a secondary revolute joint (22) rotatable about a secondary rotational axis. A plurality of unique landmark sets are integrated into the robot (20) with each unique landmark set including landmark(s) (30) in a fixed orientation relative to the primary rotational axis and further including additional landmark(s) (30) in a fixed orientation relative to the secondary rotational axis. The system (10) further an optical camera (41, 51) for visualizing a subset of the plurality of unique landmark sets within a camera coordinate system (43, 53), and a robot tracking controller (70) for estimating a robot pose of the surgical RCM robot (20) within the camera coordinate system (43, 53) derived from the visualization by the optical camera (41, 51) of the subset of landmark(s) within the camera coordinate system (43, 53).

Abstract: A system may generally comprise a tracking device, an ultrasound device and a processing unit. A position and orientation of the ultrasound device may be traceable by the tracking device. The processing unit may be configured (i) to receive 3D information of a region of interest in relation to a marker, with both the region of interest and the marker being located within a body, (ii) to determine the position of the marker relative to the ultrasound device based on an ultrasound image of the body including the marker, and (iii) to determine the position and orientation of the ultrasound device relative to the tracking device. The system may further comprise a visualization device and the processing unit may further be configured to generate a visualization of the region of interest in relation to an outer surface of the body.

Abstract: An ultrasound sensing guidance system employing a medical tool (30) including an ultrasonic motor (40) for actuating the medical tool (30) relative to an anatomical region. The ultrasound sensing guidance system further employs an ultrasound transducer (50) and an ultrasound sensing guidance controller (70). In operation, the ultrasound transducer (50) generates acoustic sensing data indicative of a sensing by the ultrasound transducer (50) of an acoustic wave emitted by the ultrasonic motor (40) as the ultrasonic motor (40) actuates the medical tool (30) relative to the anatomical region, and the ultrasound sensing guidance controller (70) controls an actuation of the medical tool (30) by the ultrasonic motor (40) responsive to the generation of the acoustic sensing data by the ultrasound transducer (50).

Abstract: An imaging device positioning system for monitoring an anatomical region (10). The imaging device positioning system employs an imaging device (20) for generating an image (21) of an anatomical region (10). The imaging device positioning system further employs a imaging device controller (30) for controlling a positioning of the imaging device (20) relative to the anatomical region (10). During a generation by the imaging device (20) of the image (21) of the anatomical region (10), the imaging device controller (30) adapts the control of the positioning of the imaging device (20) relative to the anatomical region (10) to a physiological condition of the anatomical region (10) extracted from the image (21) of the anatomical region (10).

Abstract: An augmented reality interventional system which provides contextual overlays (116) to assist or guide a user (101) or enhance the performance of the interventional procedure by the user that uses an interactive medical device (102) to perform the interventional procedure. The system includes a graphic processing module (110) that is configured to generate at least one contextual overlay on an augmented reality display device system (106). The contextual overlays may identify a component (104) or control of the interactive medical device. The contextual overlays may also identify steps of a procedure to be performed by the user and provide instructions for performance of the procedure. The contextual overlays may also identify a specific region of the environment to assist or guide the user or enhance the performance of the interventional procedure by identifying paths or protocols to reduce radiation exposure.