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 virtual surgical robot being built from kinematic data is rendered to a display. A user input is received to effect a movement or a configuration of the virtual surgical robot. The kinematic data is modified based on evaluation of the movement or the configuration of the virtual surgical robot.

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 virtual operating room (OR) is generated that includes virtual surgical equipment based on existing OR models and existing equipment models. Sensor feedback is received that defines a physical OR having physical equipment, the physical equipment including a surgical robotic system within the physical OR. The virtual OR and the virtual surgical equipment is updated based on the sensor feedback. A layout of the virtual surgical equipment is optimized in the virtual OR. The virtual OR and the virtual surgical equipment are rendered on a display.

Abstract: A virtual representation of an operating room is generated based on robot information and sensing of the OR with depth cameras. One of the depth cameras is integrated with a portable electronic device, operated by a local user in the operating room. The virtual representation of the OR is communicated to the virtual reality headset, with three-dimensional point cloud data. A virtual reality environment is rendered to a display of the virtual reality headset, operated by a remote user. A virtual representation of the remote user is rendered in augmented reality to a display of the portable electronic device.

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: An autostereoscopic three-dimensional display system for surgical robotics has an autostereoscopic three-dimensional display configured to receive and display video from a surgical robotics camera, and a first sensor assembly and a second sensor assembly. A processor is configured to detect and track an eye position or a head position of a user relative to the display based on processing output data of the first sensor assembly, and to detect and track a gaze of the user based on processing output data of the second sensor assembly. The processor further is configured to modify or control an operation of the display system based on the detected gaze of the user. A spatial relationship of the display also can be automatically adjusted in relation to the user based on the detected eye or head position of the user to optimize the user's visualization of three-dimensional images on the display.

Abstract: A surgical exercise performed with a surgical robotic system is sensed by depth cameras, generating 3D point cloud data. Robot system data associated with the surgical robotic system is logged. Object recognition is performed on image data produced by the one or more depth cameras, to recognized objects, including surgical equipment and people, in the operating room (OR). The surgical exercise is digitized by storing the 3D point cloud data of unrecognized objects, a position and orientation associated with the recognized objects, and c) the robot system data.

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 senses position or orientation of an object, which may be a trocar that has a magnetic field. Magnetic field sensors are coupled to a surgical robotic arm. A machine learning model coupled to the magnetic field sensors is trained to output three-dimensional position and/or three-dimensional orientation of the trocar or other object. Other aspects are also described.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide systems and techniques for tracking workflow inside an operating room (OR) by identifying and tracking target objects, such as a patient bed or a surgical table in the OR. In one aspect, a process for identifying and tracking a target object in an OR begins by receiving a depth image among a sequence of depth images captured by a depth camera installed in the OR. The process then generates a three-dimensional (3D) point cloud based on the depth image. Next, the process identifies a set of potential target points in the 3D point cloud that potentially belongs to the target object based on one or more target object criteria. The process next extracts one or more object clusters of from the set of potential target points using a data-point clustering technique. The process subsequently identifies the target object from the extracted one or more object clusters.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide systems and techniques for tracking and deidentifying person in a captured operating room (OR) video. In one aspect, a process for deidentifying OR personnel in an OR video begins by simultaneously receiving a color image captured by an RGB camera and a depth image captured by a depth camera installed in the vicinity of the RGB camera. The process then generates a 3D point cloud based on the depth image. Next, the process applies a human-body detector to the 3D point cloud to detect a set of 3D bodies in the 3D point cloud, wherein each detected 3D body corresponds to a detected person in the OR. The process next projects each detected 3D body into a 2D body outline in the color image to represent the same detected person in the color image. The process subsequently de-identifies the detected people in the color image based on the projected 2D body outlines.

Abstract: A method performed by a surgical system. The method determines that an ultrasonic instrument is in a low-power state The method determines a resonance frequency of an end effector of the ultrasonic instrument and determines a temperature of the end effector based on the resonance frequency. A notification is displayed on a display of the surgical system based on the temperature.

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 virtual representation of an operating room is generated based on robot information and sensing of the OR with depth cameras. One of the depth cameras is integrated with a portable electronic device, operated by a local user in the operating room. The virtual representation of the OR is communicated to the virtual reality headset, with three-dimensional point cloud data. A virtual reality environment is rendered to a display of the virtual reality headset, operated by a remote user. A virtual representation of the remote user is rendered in augmented reality to a display of the portable electronic device.

Abstract: A surgical exercise performed with a surgical robotic system is sensed by depth cameras, generating 3D point cloud data. Robot system data associated with the surgical robotic system is logged. Object recognition is performed on image data produced by the one or more depth cameras, to recognized objects, including surgical equipment and people, in the operating room (OR). The surgical exercise is digitized by storing the 3D point cloud data of unrecognized objects, a position and orientation associated with the recognized objects, and c) the robot system data.

Abstract: An autostereoscopic three-dimensional display system for surgical robotics has an autostereoscopic three-dimensional display configured to receive and display video from a surgical robotics camera, and a first sensor assembly and a second sensor assembly. A processor is configured to detect and track an eye position or a head position of a user relative to the display based on processing output data of the first sensor assembly, and to detect and track a gaze of the user based on processing output data of the second sensor assembly. The processor further is configured to modify or control an operation of the display system based on the detected gaze of the user. A spatial relationship of the display also can be automatically adjusted in relation to the user based on the detected eye or head position of the user to optimize the user's visualization of three-dimensional images on the display.

Abstract: Mobile virtual reality system for simulation, training or demonstration of a surgical robotic system can include a virtual reality processor. The processor can generate a virtual surgical robot and render the virtual surgical robot on a display. The virtual surgical robot can include a virtual surgical tool. A handheld user input device (UID) can sense a hand input from a hand. A foot input device can sense a foot input from a foot. The virtual reality processor can be configured to control a movement or action of the virtual surgical robot based on the hand input, and change which of the virtual surgical instruments is controlled by the one or more handheld UIDs based on the foot input. Other embodiments and aspects are disclosed 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: Mobile virtual reality system for simulation, training or demonstration of a surgical robotic system can include a virtual reality processor. The processor can generate a virtual surgical robot and render the virtual surgical robot on a display. The virtual surgical robot can include a virtual surgical tool. A handheld user input device (UID) can sense a hand input from a hand. A foot input device can sense a foot input from a foot. The virtual reality processor can be configured to control a movement or action of the virtual surgical robot based on the hand input, and change which of the virtual surgical instruments is controlled by the one or more handheld UIDs based on the foot input. Other embodiments and aspects are disclosed and claimed.