Abstract: A synthetic representation of a robot tool for display on a user interface of a robotic system. The synthetic representation may be used to show the position of a view volume of an image capture device with respect to the robot. The synthetic representation may also be used to find a tool that is outside of the field of view, to display range of motion limits for a tool, to remotely communicate information about the robot, and to detect collisions.

Abstract: A teleoperational medical system for performing a medical procedure in a surgical field includes a teleoperational assembly having a plurlity of motorized surgical arms configured to assist in a surgical procedure. It also includes an input device configured to receive an input to move all the arms of the plurality of motorized surgical arms to a pre-established position. A processing system is configured to receive the input form the input device and output control signals to each arm of the plurality of motorized surgical arms to move each arm to the pre-established position.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods include a teleoperated system including a kinematic structure having a joint, a drive or brake system for controlling the joint, and a computing unit coupled with the drive or brake system. The computing unit is configured to detect that the joint is between a software defined range of motion limit for the joint and a physical range of motion limit for the joint, the software defined range of motion limit being spaced a distance apart from the physical range of motion limit and delay for a duration of time, in response to detecting the joint between the software defined range of motion limit and the physical range of motion limit, applying the drive or brake system to stop motion of the joint.

Abstract: A system and method of registering a surgical table and a computer-assisted device includes an articulated arm and a control unit coupled to the articulated arm. The articulated arm has a distally mounted instrument configured to be inserted into a patient at a body opening. The control unit is configured to detect a first motion of a surgical table coupled to the control unit via a communications connection. The first motion of the surgical table causes a corresponding second motion of a control point of the articulated arm. The control unit is further configured to determine a first angular direction of the first motion in a surgical table coordinate frame, determine a second angular direction of the second motion in a computer-assisted medical device coordinate frame, and determine a third angular relationship between the surgical table and the computer-assisted medical device based on the first and second angular directions.

Abstract: Robotic and/or surgical devices, systems, and methods include kinematic linkage structures and associated control systems configured to control movement of passive or under-actuated joints by coordinated joint braking of the under-actuated joints concurrent with driving of one or more driven joints. In one aspect, the methods include driving a set-up structure by pivoting an orienting platform supporting multiple manipulators back-and-forth in opposite directions while selectively braking the under-actuated joints to inhibit passive joint movement away from a reference joint state and releasing braking to facilitate movement of the joints toward the reference until each of the under-actuated joints of the multiple manipulators are at the respective reference states. In another aspect, a joint brake controller is provided that receives a motor torque input and converts the input to a brake control input by determining an impulse applied variable braking to deplete the impulse over time.

Abstract: A system and method of maintaining a tool pose for a computer-assisted medical device with an articulated arm including one or more first joints and one or more second joints, a tool distal to the first joints and the second joints, and a control unit coupled to the first joints and the second joints. The control unit maintains a pose of the tool during movement of the first joints using the second joints by determining a reference coordinate frame for the tool, determining a reference transform of the tool in the reference coordinate frame prior to the movement of the first joints, determining an actual transform of the tool in the reference coordinate frame while the first joints are being moved, determining differences between the reference transform and the actual transform, and maintaining the pose of the tool by driving the second joints based on the differences.

Abstract: A robotic system includes a processor that is programmed to determine and cause work site measurements for user specified points in the work site to be graphically displayed in order to provide geometrically appropriate tool selection assistance to the user. The processor is also programmed to determine an optimal one of a plurality of tools of varying geometries for use at the work site and to cause graphical representations of at least the optimal tool to be displayed along with the work site measurements.

Abstract: A system and method of aligning with a reference target includes a computer-assisted medical device. The computer-assisted medical device includes an orientation platform, one or more first joints proximal to the orientation platform, one or more second joints distal to the orientation platform, one or more links distal to the orientation platform, a reference instrument coupled to the orientation platform by the second joints and the links; and a control unit coupled to the first joints and the second joints. The control unit determines a pose of the reference instrument. The pose includes a reference point and a reference orientation. The control unit further positions the orientation platform over the reference point using the first joints, rotates the orientation platform to align the orientation platform with the reference orientation using the first joints, and maintains the pose of the reference instrument using the second joints.

Abstract: An operator telerobotically controls tools to perform a procedure on an object at a work site while viewing real-time images of the work site on a display. Tool information is provided in the operator's current gaze area on the display by rendering the tool information over the tool so as not to obscure objects being worked on at the time by the tool nor to require eyes of the user to refocus when looking at the tool information and the image of the tool on a stereo viewer.

Abstract: Robotic and/or surgical devices, systems, and methods include kinematic linkage structures and associated control systems configured to facilitate preparation of the system for use. In some embodiments, actively driven joints will move a platform structure that supports multiple manipulators in response to movement of one of the manipulators, facilitating and expediting the arrangement of the overall system by moving those multiple manipulators as a unit into alignment with the workspace. Systems and methods are also provided to keep one, some, or all joints of the kinematic chain off a hardstop or physical range of motion limit associated with the joint or to otherwise maintain a desired range of motion for one, some, or all joints of the kinematic chain when exiting a set-up mode.

Abstract: Robotic and/or surgical devices, systems, and methods include kinematic linkage structures and associated control systems configured to control movement of passive or under-actuated joints by coordinated joint braking of the under-actuated joints concurrent with driving of one or more driven joints. In one aspect, the methods include driving a set-up structure by pivoting an orienting platform supporting multiple manipulators back-and-forth in opposite directions while selectively braking the under-actuated joints to inhibit passive joint movement away from a reference joint state and releasing braking to facilitate movement of the joints toward the reference until each of the under-actuated joints of the multiple manipulators are at the respective reference states. In an other aspect, a joint brake controller is provided that receives a motor torque input and converts the input to a brake control input by determining an impulse applied variable braking to deplete the impulse over time.

Abstract: A patient side cart for a teleoperated surgical system may comprise a column extending from a base, the column having a first end connected to the base and a second end opposite the first end. The patient side cart may further include a surgical instrument manipulator arm coupled proximate the second end of the column, and an obstacle indication system comprising an illumination source mounted on the patient side cart at a height above a location the surgical instrument manipulator arm is coupled to the second end of the column, the height being measured in a direction the column extends from the base.

Abstract: An operator telerobotically controls tools to perform a procedure on an object at a work site while viewing real-time images of the work site on a display. Tool information is provided in the operator's current gaze area on the display by rendering the tool information over the tool so as not to obscure objects being worked on at the time by the tool nor to require eyes of the user to refocus when looking at the tool information and the image of the tool on a stereo viewer.

Abstract: A surgical instrument is configured to be installed for use on a teleoperated surgical system. A surgeon or other medical person controls the surgical instrument by manipulating one or more control inputs. Computer-assisted teleoperated actuators of the teleoperated surgical system move one or more surgical instrument mechanical degrees of freedom in response to movements of the one or more control inputs. A teleoperated surgical system is provided to enable a surgeon or medical person to manually control one or more surgical instrument mechanical degrees of freedom, while the surgical instrument is installed for use is installed on the teleoperated surgical system.

Abstract: A robotic system includes a processor that is programmed to determine and cause work site measurements for user specified points in the work site to be graphically displayed in order to provide geometrically appropriate tool selection assistance to the user. The processor is also programmed to determine an optimal one of a plurality of tools of varying geometries for use at the work site and to cause graphical representations of at least the optimal tool to be displayed along with the work site measurements.

Abstract: A synthetic representation of a robot tool for display on a user interface of a robotic system. The synthetic representation may be used to show the position of a view volume of an image capture device with respect to the robot. The synthetic representation may also be used to find a tool that is outside of the field of view, to display range of motion limits for a tool, to remotely communicate information about the robot, and to detect collisions.

Abstract: A teleoperational assembly is disclosed which includes an operator control system and a plurality of manipulators configured to control the movement of medical instruments in a surgical environment. The manipulators are teleoperationally controlled by the operator control system. The system further includes a processing unit configured to display an image of a field of view of the surgical environment, project the position of distal end portions of the medical instruments into the image's coordinate space, determine initial positions for badges associated with the distal end portions of each medical instrument, evaluate a display factor for each badge based on its initial position, and determine a final display position for each badge in the image's coordinate space based on the display factor.

Abstract: In a minimally invasive surgical system, a plurality of video images is acquired. Each image includes a hand pose image. Depth data for the hand pose image is also acquired or synthesized. The hand pose image is segmented from the image using the depth data. The segmented image is combined with an acquired surgical site image using the depth data. The combined image is displayed to a person at a surgeon's console of the minimally invasive surgical system. Processing each of the video images in the plurality video images in this way reproduces the hand gesture overlaid on the video of the surgical site in the display.

Abstract: A patient side cart for a teleoperated surgical system may include a base, a column connected to the base, a boom connected to the column, a surgical instrument manipulator arm connected to the boom, and an obstacle indication system comprising an illumination source that directs light in a path of the boom. Various exemplary embodiments also encompass methods of providing obstacle indication via a patient side cart of a teleoperated surgical system, including directing light onto an object in a path of the boom to indicate that the object is located in a path of the boom, and methods of determining a predetermined height to be stored in a patient side cart for a teleoperated surgical system, including illuminating an object in the path of the patient side cart and storing a current height of the patient side cart as the predetermined height.

Abstract: A teleoperational assembly is disclosed which includes an operator control system and a plurality of manipulators configured to control the movement of medical instruments in a surgical environment. The manipulators are teleoperationally controlled by the operator control system. The system further includes a processing unit configured to display an image of a field of view of the surgical environment, determine association information about the manipulators and the operator control system, and display badges near the medical instruments in the image of the field of view of the surgical environment. The badges display the association information for the medical instrument they appear associated with.