Abstract: A hooked surgery camera for use in surgical robotic systems includes a hook coupled to a side or end of a camera body, for attaching the camera to tissue during a surgery. The camera also includes a lens on another end of the camera body, and electronic components inside the camera body. The electronic components include a battery, a digital camera module and a wireless data transmitter. The hooked surgery camera provides a supplementary view of the surgical site, that is from a different perspective than the view provided by an endoscope, during laparoscopic surgeries. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Abstract: For control about a remote center of motion (RCM) of a surgical robotic system, possible configurations of a robotic manipulator are searched to find the configuration providing a greatest overlap of the workspace of the surgical instrument with the target anatomy. The force at the RCM may be measured, such as with one or more sensors on the cannula or in an adaptor connecting the robotic manipulator to the cannula. The measured force is used to determine a change in the RCM to minimize the force exerted on the patient at the RCM. Given this change, the configuration of the robotic manipulator may be dynamically updated. Various aspects of this RCM control may be used alone or in combination, such as to optimize the alignment of workspace to the target anatomy, to minimize force at the RCM, and/or to dynamically control the robotic manipulator configuration based on workspace alignment and force measurement.

Abstract: User input devices (UIDs) for controlling a surgical robotic system are described. A UID can include one or more tracking sensors to generate respective spatial state signals in accordance with a pose of the UID. At least one of the tracking sensors can be a camera. In the case of multiple tracking sensors, the spatial state signals are processed by a sensor fusion algorithm to generate a more robust, single tracking signal and a quality measure. The tracking signal and the quality measure are then used by a digital control system to control motion of a surgical robotic system actuator that is associated with the UID. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A surgical robotic system has a tool drive coupled to a distal end of a robotic arm that has a plurality of actuators. The tool drive has a docking interface to receive a trocar. The system also includes one or more sensors that are operable to visually sense a surface feature of the trocar. One or more processors determine a position and orientation of the trocar, based on the visually sensed surface feature. In response, the processor controls the actuators to orient the docking interface to the determined orientation of the trocar and to guide the robotic arm toward the determined position of the trocar. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A surgical robotic system that includes a robotic arm, glove configured to be worn on a hand of a user and including a force-feedback mechanism, a tracking device, a processor, and memory. The memory includes instructions which when executed by the processor causes the system to determine that the user is performing a hand gesture with the glove to grasp a virtual user input device (UID) based on the tracking device, and in response to the user grasping the virtual UID, apply, via the force-feedback mechanism, a force upon the glove that corresponds to a physical representation of the virtual UID, and engage the robotic arm to be controlled by the virtual UID.

Abstract: A surgical robotic system including a surgical table, a surgical robotic manipulator coupled to the surgical table and comprising a plurality of links coupled together by a plurality of joints that are operable to move with respect to one another to move the surgical robotic manipulator, at least one of the plurality of links or the plurality of joints having a portion that faces another of the plurality of links or the plurality of joints, a proximity sensing assembly coupled to the portion of the at least one of the plurality of links or the plurality of joints, the proximity sensing assembly operable to detect an object prior to the surgical robotic manipulator colliding with the object and to output a corresponding detection signal, and a processor operable to receive the corresponding detecting signal and cause the manipulator or the object to engage in a collision avoidance operation.

Abstract: A surgical robotic system that includes a robotic arm, glove configured to be worn on a hand of a user and including a force-feedback mechanism, a tracking device, a processor, and memory. The memory includes instructions which when executed by the processor causes the system to determine that the user is performing a hand gesture with the glove to grasp a virtual user input device (UID) based on the tracking device, and in response to the user grasping the virtual UID, apply, via the force-feedback mechanism, a force upon the glove that corresponds to a physical representation of the virtual UID, and engage the robotic arm to be controlled by the virtual UID.

Abstract: A surgical robotic system comprising: a surgical robotic arm having a plurality of robotic arm links and a plurality of joints operable to move according to multiple degrees of freedom; a proximity sensor coupled to the surgical robotic arm, the proximity sensor comprising a plurality of sensing pads operable to detect a movement of a nearby controlling object prior to contact with the surgical robotic arm; and a processor configured to determine a desired position of the surgical robotic arm based on the detected movement of the nearby controlling object and drive a movement of more than one of the plurality of robotic arm links or the plurality of joints to achieve the desired position of the surgical robotic arm.

Abstract: A user console for a surgical robotic system has a seat having an armrest and an electromagnetic (EM) transmitter coupled to the armrest to generate an EM field in an EM tracking space around the armrest. A user input device having a handheld housing is to be positioned within the EM tracking by an operator who is seated in the seat, during a surgical procedure. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A tool driver for use in robotic surgery includes a base configured to couple to a distal end of a robotic arm, and a tool carriage slidingly engaged with the base and configured to receive a surgical tool. In one variation, the tool carriage may include a plurality of linear axis drives configured to actuate one or more articulated movements of the surgical tool. In another variation, the tool carriage may include a plurality of rotary axis drives configured to actuate one or more articulated movements of the surgical tool. Various sensors, such as a capacitive load cell for measuring axial load, a position sensor for measuring linear position of the guide based on the rotational positions of gears in a gear transmission, and/or a capacitive torque sensor based on differential capacitance, may be included in the tool driver.

Abstract: A surgical robotic system that includes a robotic arm, glove configured to be worn on a hand of a user and including a force-feedback mechanism, a tracking device, a processor, and memory. The memory includes instructions which when executed by the processor causes the system to determine that the user is performing a hand gesture with the glove to grasp a virtual user input device (UID) based on the tracking device, and in response to the user grasping the virtual UID, apply, via the force-feedback mechanism, a force upon the glove that corresponds to a physical representation of the virtual UID, and engage the robotic arm to be controlled by the virtual UID.

Abstract: A control system for surgical robots based on proximity sensing, the control system including a proximity sensor coupled to a component of a surgical robot, the surgical robot component including a table, robotic arms coupled to the table, and surgical tools mounted on the robotic arms, the proximity sensor configured to sense a movement of a nearby controlling object in one or more degrees of freedom; and a processor configured to drive the component of the surgical robot to follow the movement of the controlling object.

Abstract: A series of images is obtained from an endoscope. Three-dimensional reconstruction is performed on the series of images to reconstruct anatomy shown in the series of images. A graphic, such as a grid, is rendered based on the three-dimensional reconstruction, over the series of images resulting in an enhanced endoscopic video feed to be shown on a display.

Abstract: A user console for a surgical robotic system has a seat having an armrest and an electromagnetic (EM) transmitter coupled to the armrest to generate an EM field in an EM tracking space around the armrest. A user input device having a handheld housing is to be positioned within the EM tracking by an operator who is seated in the seat, during a surgical procedure. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A tool driver for use in robotic surgery includes a base configured to couple to a distal end of a robotic arm, and a tool carriage slidingly engaged with the base and configured to receive a surgical tool. In one variation, the tool carriage may include a plurality of linear axis drives configured to actuate one or more articulated movements of the surgical tool. In another variation, the tool carriage may include a plurality of rotary axis drives configured to actuate one or more articulated movements of the surgical tool. Various sensors, such as a capacitive load cell for measuring axial load, a position sensor for measuring linear position of the guide based on the rotational positions of gears in a gear transmission, and/or a capacitive torque sensor based on differential capacitance, may be included in the tool driver.

Abstract: For control about a remote center of motion (RCM) of a surgical robotic system, possible configurations of a robotic manipulator are searched to find the configuration providing a greatest overlap of the workspace of the surgical instrument with the target anatomy. The force at the RCM may be measured, such as with one or more sensors on the cannula or in an adaptor connecting the robotic manipulator to the cannula. The measured force is used to determine a change in the RCM to minimize the force exerted on the patient at the RCM. Given this change, the configuration of the robotic manipulator may be dynamically updated. Various aspects of this RCM control may be used alone or in combination, such as to optimize the alignment of workspace to the target anatomy, to minimize force at the RCM, and/or to dynamically control the robotic manipulator configuration based on workspace alignment and force measurement.

Abstract: A surgical robotic user input apparatus has a fiber optic cable with a handheld user input device attached at one end, and a connector attached at another end. Multiple intrinsic sensors, such as fiber Bragg grating sensors, are in the fiber optic cable. The intrinsic sensors are used to detect a pose of the handheld user input device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A surgical robotic user input apparatus has a fiber optic cable with a handheld user input device attached at one end, and a connector attached at another end. Multiple intrinsic sensors, such as fiber Bragg grating sensors, are in the fiber optic cable. The intrinsic sensors are used to detect a pose of the handheld user input device. Other embodiments are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A surgical robotic system has a tool drive coupled to a distal end of a robotic arm that has a plurality of actuators. The tool drive has a docking interface to receive a trocar. The system also includes one or more sensors that are operable to visually sense a surface feature of the trocar. One or more processors determine a position and orientation of the trocar, based on the visually sensed surface feature. In response, the processor controls the actuators to orient the docking interface to the determined orientation of the trocar and to guide the robotic arm toward the determined position of the trocar. Other aspects are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A control system for surgical robots based on proximity sensing, the control system including a proximity sensor coupled to a component of a surgical robot, the surgical robot component including a table, robotic arms coupled to the table, and surgical tools mounted on the robotic arms, the proximity sensor configured to sense a movement of a nearby controlling object in one or more degrees of freedom; and a processor configured to drive the component of the surgical robot to follow the movement of the controlling object.