Abstract: A surgical cart assembly may comprise a base portion. The base portion also includes a plurality of wheels coupled to the base portion and arranged to permit wheeled movement of the surgical cart assembly. The cart also includes a column extending vertically from the base portion, and a manipulator arm coupled to an end portion of the column opposite to a location of the base portion. The cart further comprises a stabilization assembly coupled to the base portion, the stabilization assembly may include a piston assembly moveable between a retracted position and a deployed position, and an actuation device operably coupled to the piston assembly to actuate the piston assembly between the retracted position and the deployed position. The piston assembly in the retracted position is retracted away from a ground surface on which the cart assembly is supported, and the piston assembly in the deployed position is in contact with the ground surface.

Abstract: A method comprising receiving an input coupling adjacent to a drive input driven by an actuating element, the input coupling being coupled to a joint output and the joint output being connected to a movable object. The method further comprising rotating the actuating element to drive the drive input and determining, by a control system, whether a resistance torque greater than an inherent drivetrain resistance torque is experienced by the actuating element. The inherent drivetrain resistance torque is for a drivetrain including the input coupling, the drive input, and the joint output. The method also includes determining, by the control system, whether the drive input has engaged the input coupling based on the determination that the resistance torque greater than the inherent drivetrain resistance torque has been experienced by the actuating element.

Abstract: A surgical instrument support arm of a teleoperated patient side cart may include a first arm portion including a first connector end and a second a second arm portion including a second connector end. The second arm portion may be removably connectable to the first arm portion via mating engagement of the first and second connector ends. The first and second connector ends may each include complementary mechanical connections and complementary electrical connections. At least one of the electrical connections of the first and second connector ends may include electrical shielding to protect against electrical interference in a position in which the electrical connections are matingly engaged. The electrical shielding may be configured to axially compress when the electrical connections of the first and second connector ends are matingly engaged.

Abstract: Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector in space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and methods for their use are also provided.

Abstract: A medical imaging system comprises a teleoperational assembly and a processing unit configured for receiving a roll position indicator for an imaging instrument coupled to the teleoperational assembly. The imaging instrument has a view angle other than 0° relative to an optical axis of the imaging instrument, and the imaging instrument is a stereoscopic imaging instrument including first and second image sources. The processing unit is further configured for: obtaining first image data from the imaging instrument at a first roll position; obtaining subsequent image data from the imaging instrument at a second roll position; and, responsive to a roll movement of the imaging instrument between the first and second roll positions, transitioning between presentation of the first image data on a user display and presentation of the subsequent image data on the user display. The transition includes changing a position of presentation of the first and second image sources.

Abstract: Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector in space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and methods for their use are also provided.

Abstract: Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector in space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and methods for their use are also provided.

Abstract: A method of controlling a vibration reduction member of a patient side cart for a teleoperated surgical system includes detecting an occurrence of a first event corresponding to preparation of the patient side cart for a surgical procedure, and issuing a command signal to an actuation device to deploy the vibration reduction member to contact a ground surface upon which the patient side cart is located.

Abstract: A cannula mount for a surgical system may include a body having an aperture to receive a portion of a cannula. The cannula mount may further include a pivotable clamping arm to engage the portion of the cannula received in the aperture. The clamping arm may include a cam follower surface. The cannula mount may further include a block moveable between a first position and a second position. The block may include a cam surface. The cam surface of the block may engage the cam follower surface of the clamping arm in the first position to actuate the clamping arm to a closed position in which the clamping arm engages the portion of the cannula received in the aperture. The clamping arm may be permitted to move to an open position in which the clamping arm does not engage the cannula when the block is in the second position.

Abstract: A surgical instrument support arm of a teleoperated patient side cart may include a first arm portion including a first connector end and a second a second arm portion including a second connector end. The second arm portion may be removably connectable to the first arm portion via mating engagement of the first and second connector ends. The first and second connector ends may each include complementary mechanical connections and complementary electrical connections. At least one of the electrical connections of the first and second connector ends may include electrical shielding to protect against electrical interference in a position in which the electrical connections are matingly engaged. The electrical shielding may be configured to axially compress when the electrical connections of the first and second connector ends are matingly engaged.

Abstract: A robotic arm for a minimally invasive surgical system includes a parallel spherical five-bar linkage adapted to spherically rotationally move a robotic surgical tool coupled to the parallel five-bar spherical linkage about a remote center of spherical rotation. The five-bar spherical linkage is posed in only a range of compact poses. A constraint limits the parallel five-bar spherical linkage to only the range of compact poses.

Abstract: Embodiments of a cannula seal are disclosed. In some embodiments, a cannula seal can include a base portion that engages with a cannula; and a seal portion integrally formed with the base portion that slidebly engages with an instrument shaft such that an insertion frictional force between the seal portion and the instrument shaft for insertion of the instrument shaft is symmetrical and substantially equal with a retraction frictional force.

Abstract: Methods and systems for damping vibrations in a surgical system are disclosed herein. The damping of these vibrations can increase the precision of surgery performed using the surgical system. The surgical system can include one or several moveable set-up linkages. A damper can be connected with one or several of the set-up linkages. The damper can be a passive damper and can mitigate a vibration arising in one or more of the set-up linkages. The damper can additionally prevent a vibration arising in one of the linkages from affecting another of the set-up linkages. In some embodiments the damper is a squeeze film damper. In some embodiments, the squeeze film damper includes an insert having a plurality of first protrusions, a cup configured to receive the insert, and the cup having a having a plurality of second protrusions interdigitated with the plurality of first protrusions.

Abstract: Embodiments of a cannula seal are disclosed. In some embodiments, a cannula seal can include a base portion that engages with a cannula; and a seal portion integrally formed with the base portion that slidebly engages with an instrument shaft such that an insertion frictional force between the seal portion and the instrument shaft for insertion of the instrument shaft is symmetrical and substantially equal with a retraction frictional force.

Abstract: A surgical system includes methods and systems for damping vibrations. The damping of these vibrations can increase the precision of surgery performed using the surgical system. The surgical system can include one or several moveable set-up linkages. A damper can be connected with one or several of the set-up linkages. The damper can be a passive damper and can mitigate a vibration arising in one or more of the set-up linkages. The damper can additionally prevent a vibration arising in one of the linkages from affecting another of the set-up linkages.

Abstract: A system includes manipulators and a controller. The controller is configured to detect mounting of an imaging device to a first manipulator of the manipulators, determine a first reference frame for the imaging device based on the mounting of the imaging device to the first manipulator, control a tool relative to the first reference frame by controlling a relative position and orientation of a tip of the tool relative to the imaging device in the first reference frame by correlating movement of a master input control to movement of the tool in the first reference frame, detect mounting of the imaging device to a second manipulator of the manipulators, the second manipulator being different from the first manipulator, determine a second reference frame for the imaging device based on the mounting of the imaging device to the second manipulator, and control the tool relative to the second reference frame.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for avoiding collisions between a manipulator arm and an outer patient surface by moving the manipulator within a null-space. In response to a determination that distance between an avoidance geometry and obstacle surface, corresponding to a manipulator-to-patient distance is less than desired, the system calculates movement of one or more joints or links of the manipulator within a null-space of the Jacobian to increase this distance. The joints are driven according to the reconfiguration command and calculated movement so as to maintain a desired state of the end effector. In one aspect, the joints are also driven according to a calculated end effector displacing movement within a null-perpendicular-space of the Jacobian to effect a desired movement of the end effector or remote center while concurrently avoiding arm-to-patient collisions by moving the joints within the null-space.

Abstract: Telerobotic, telesurgical, and/or surgical robotic devices, systems, and methods employ surgical robotic linkages that may have more degrees of freedom than an associated surgical end effector in space. A processor can calculate a tool motion that includes pivoting of the tool about an aperture site. Linkages movable along a range of configurations for a given end effector position may be driven toward configurations which inhibit collisions. Refined robotic linkages and methods for their use are also provided.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems for controlling a telesurgical system are disclosed. In accordance with a method, a first tool connected to a first manipulator of the system, and a second tool connected to a second manipulator of the system, are controlled. A swap of the tools such that the first tool is connected to the second manipulator and the second tool is connected to the first manipulator is then detected. The first tool connected to the second manipulator and the second tool connected to the first manipulator are then controlled.

Abstract: A surgical system includes methods and systems for damping vibrations. The surgical system can include one or several moveable set-up linkages. A passive, active, or semi-active damper can be connected with one or several of the set-up linkages. The damper can mitigate a vibration arising in one of the set-up linkages and the damper can prevent a vibration arising in one of the linkages from affecting another of the set-up linkages. The active and semi-active dampers can be controlled with a feedback or a feed-forward model. In some embodiments, the system includes a first link supported by a base, a second link, a damper having a variable portion coupling the first link to the second link, and a processor. The processor is configured to detect a movement or a vibration of the second link and adjust the variable portion of the damper based on the detected movement or vibration.