Abstract: A robot system includes a robot linkage (202) having one or more arms connected by two joints (220, 222). The joints each including a joint axis of rotation (206 or 208) and a light source (128) aligned with the respective joint axis. The light sources are configured to direct light along the respective joint axis such that light from the light sources intersects at a position along an instrument (204) being held in an operational position by the robot linkage to define a remote center of motion (RCM) for the robot linkage.

Abstract: A control unit for a robot system including a robot with a rigid proximal portion having a remote center of motion (RCM), a flexible distal portion, and an image acquisition device. The control unit includes a processor that receives images from the image acquisition device; generates a first deployment path to a first target position based on the images; generates a second deployment path to a second target position from the first target position based on the images; generates first guidance information for positioning the rigid proximal portion along the first deployment path; generates second guidance information for positioning the flexible distal portion along the second deployment path; and deploys the first guidance information to the rigid proximal portion for guiding the rigid proximal portion to the first target position, and deploys the second guidance information to the flexible distal portion for guiding the flexible interface distal portion to the second target position.

Abstract: A system for calibration of a robot includes an imaging system (136) including two or more cameras (132). A registration device (120) is configured to align positions of a light spot (140) on a reference platform as detected by the two or more cameras with robot positions corresponding with the light spot positions to register an imaging system coordinate system (156) with a robot coordinate system (150).

Abstract: A method for visualizing branches of a lumen includes inserting (402) a fiber optic shape sensing device into a lumen and determining (404) changes in the lumen based upon strain induced in the fiber optic shape sensing device by flow in the lumen. Locations of branches are indicated (410) on a rendering of the lumen. An instrument is guided (414) to the locations of branches indicated on the rendering.

Abstract: An imaging system includes an annotation device (154) configured to generate annotations in images of a first imaging modality or a second imaging modality. A registration module (115) is configured to fuse images of the first and second imaging modalities including the annotations. A robot guidance control system (156) is configured to guide a robot (144) in accordance with the annotations and a measured position of the robot to position and maintain an assigned view position in a fused image of the first and second imaging modalities.

Abstract: A robot guiding system employs a robot unit (10) and a control unit (20). The robot unit (10) includes an endoscope (12) for generating an intra-operative endoscopic image (14) of a blood vessel tree within an anatomical region, and a robot (11) for moving the endoscope (12) within the anatomical region. The control unit (20) includes an endoscope controller (22) for generating an endoscopic path within the anatomical region, wherein the endoscopic path is derived from a matching of a graphical representation of the intra-operative endoscopic image (14) of the blood vessel tree to a graphical representation of a pre-operative three-dimensional image (44) of the blood vessel tree. The control unit (20) further includes a robot controller (21) for commanding the robot (11) to move the endoscope (12) within the anatomical region in accordance with the endoscopic path.

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: Registration of a surgical image acquisition device (e.g. an endoscope) using preoperative and live contour signatures of an anatomical object is described. A control unit includes a processor configured to compare the real-time contour signature to the database of preoperative contour signatures of the anatomical object to generate a group of potential contour signature matches for selection of a final contour match. Registration of an image acquisition device to the surgical site is realized based upon an orientation corresponding to the selected final contour signature match.

Abstract: A robotic system employing a plurality of surgical robots (20) and a surgical procedure controller (22)for executing a surgical procedure on an anatomical structure (e.g., a heart) within an anatomical region (e.g., a thoracic region). In operation, controller (22) autonomously controls a navigation of each surgical robot (20) within the anatomical region relative to the anatomical structure by directing a navigation of each surgical robot (20) within the anatomical region relative to the anatomical structure based on a surgical plan for executing the surgical procedure on the anatomical structure (e.g.

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 robot system includes a robot linkage (202) having one or more arms connected by two joints (220, 222). The joints each including a joint axis of rotation (206 or 208) and a light source (128) aligned with the respective joint axis. The light sources are configured to direct light along the respective joint axis such that light from the light sources intersects at a position along an instrument (204) being held in an operational position by the robot linkage to define a remote center of motion (RCM) for the robot linkage.

Abstract: A transperinealprostate intervention device comprises a prostate intervention instrument (10), a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) probe (12), and a mechanical or optical coordinate measurement machine (CMM) (20) attached to the TRUS probe and configured to track the prostate intervention instrument. The CMM may include an articulated arm with a plurality of encoding joints (24), an anchor end (30) attached to the TRUS probe, and a movable end (32) attached to the prostate intervention instrument. The prostate intervention instrument may, for example, be a biopsy needle, a brachytherapy seed delivery instrument, a tissue ablation instrument, or a hollow cannula. An electronic processor (40) computes a predicted trajectory (54) of the prostate intervention instrument in a frame of reference of the TRUS probe using the CMM attached to the TRUS probe. A representation (56) of the predicted trajectory is superimposed on a prostate ultrasound image (50) generated from ultrasound data collected by the TRUS probe.

Abstract: A robot control system includes a controller device (120) mountable on a medical instrument and including a housing with a trackpad configured to interact with a printed circuit board therein to create electronic signals corresponding with movement of the trackpad. The electronic signals include a point signal and a click signal. An adapter is formed on the housing and is configured to detachably connect the controller device to the medical instrument. A display (118) is responsive to the point signal of the controller device to permit a cursor to be moved on the display to indicate a position to be imaged or moved to. A robot system (144) is configured to respond to the click signal to move one of a robot directly or an instrument held by the robot in accordance with the position to be imaged or moved to.

Abstract: A robotic surgical system employing a treatment catheter (30) (e.g., a thermoablation catheter or a cyroablation catheter), and an articulated robot (40) including a the linkages for navigating the treatment catheter (30) within an anatomical region. The robotic surgical system further employs a robot controller (41) for controlling a navigation by the articulated robot (40) of the treatment catheter (30) along a intraoperative treatment path within the anatomical region relative to the anatomical structure derived from a planned treatment path within the anatomical region relative to the anatomical structure based on a registration between the articulated robot (40) and a preoperative image (21a) illustrative of the planned treatment path within the anatomical region relative to the anatomical structure.

Abstract: An endoscopic imaging system (10) employing an endoscope (20) and an endoscope guidance controller (30). In operation, endoscope (20) generates an endoscopic video (23) of an anatomical structure within an anatomical region. Endoscopic guidance controller (30), responsive to a registration between the endoscopic video (23) and a volume image (44) of the anatomical region, controls a user interaction (50) with a graphical user interface (31) including one or more interactive planar slices (32) of the volume image (44), and responsive to the user interaction (50) with the graphical user interface (31), endoscopic guidance controller (30) controls a positioning of the endoscope (20) relative to the anatomical structure derived from the interactive planar slices (32) of the volume image (44).

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 registration system and method includes a configurable device (104) having one or more moveable features (122) such that movement of the moveable features can be determined relative to a reference to define a specific configuration of the configurable device. An imaging system (110) has a display on which the configurable device is viewable. A processing device (112) is configured to register the configurable device with a coordinate system of the imaging system based on the specific configuration of the configurable device.

Abstract: A system (200) executes a method (130-180) to produce an optimal path for any type of path planning application. In operation, the system (200) constructs a configuration space node structure representing a discretized configuration space including a plurality of states characterized by one or more parameters, and augments the configuration space node structure with discrete parameter values explicitly quantifying each node of the configuration space node structure and/or with heuristic values serving as a search guide through a free space region of the discretized configuration space.

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.