Abstract: A motorized introducer apparatus for translating an elongate shaft of an endoscope relative to a patient may include a body, a motor fixedly attached to the body, a drive gear coupled to the motor, a drive wheel coupled to the drive gear, and a support wheel positioned adjacent the drive wheel. The elongate shaft of the endoscope is disposable between the drive wheel and the support wheel at an engagement location such that the elongate shaft is configured to selectively move longitudinally along an axis of movement. A surgical system may include the motorized introducer apparatus and a support frame attachable to a surgical bed. The motorized introducer apparatus may be secured to the support frame.

Abstract: A surgical system for use with a surgical robot may include an endoscope including a handle and an elongate shaft extending distally from the handle, an attachment mechanism including a fixture configured to receive the handle of the endoscope and a mounting structure configured to attach the fixture to the surgical robot, a motorized introducer apparatus spaced apart from the surgical robot and configured to translate the elongate shaft of the endoscope relative to a patient, and an input device configured to be operated using one hand only. The input device may include a plurality of tactile buttons operable using the one hand, and a joystick configured for operation by a thumb of the one hand. The input device may include a plurality of motion sensors configured to determine position and orientation of the input device in space.

Abstract: An attachment mechanism for using an endoscope with a surgical robot may include a fixture configured to receive a handle of the endoscope such that a longitudinal axis of the handle is oriented parallel with a longitudinal axis of the fixture and an elongate shaft of the endoscope extends distally away from the fixture, and a mounting structure secured to the fixture. The mounting structure is configured to attach the fixture to the surgical robot. The fixture includes a retaining mechanism configured to releasably secure the handle within the fixture. The fixture includes a first motor operably coupled to a first drive mechanism, the first drive mechanism being configured to engage the handle of the endoscope to operate a deflection mechanism of the endoscope.

Abstract: Steerable medical devices display systems including a handle and an elongate shaft extending distally from the handle to a distal tip, a motor control assembly including a motor control housing configured to detachably interface with the handle, a first deflection mechanism disposed within the handle, the first deflection mechanism being configured to deflect the distal tip in a first plane, and a work station in electronic communication with the motor control assembly, the work station including at least a display screen. The work station may be configured to display a dashboard including visual information of a position of the distal tip.

Abstract: A steerable medical device includes a handle and an elongate shaft extending distally from the handle to a distal tip. A motor control assembly including a motor control housing is configured to detachably interface with the handle. The motor control assembly includes a first drive assembly and a second drive assembly disposed within the motor control housing. The motor control assembly includes an input device and a controller that is operably coupled with the first drive assembly, the second drive assembly and the input device. The controller is configured to control operation of the first drive assembly and/or the second drive assembly in order to move the distal tip, receive one or more user inputs from a user via the input device, and to modify operation of the first drive assembly and/or the second drive assembly in accordance with the received one or more inputs.

Abstract: A steerable medical device, such as an endoscope of an endoscopic system, including a handle and an elongate shaft extending distally from the handle to a distal tip, a motor control assembly including a motor control housing configured to detachably interface with the handle, wherein the motor control assembly includes a first motor disposed within the motor control housing and a first gear assembly disposed within the motor control housing, and a first drive axle configured to engage the first gear assembly with a first deflection mechanism disposed within the handle, the first deflection mechanism being configured to deflect the distal tip in a first plane.

Abstract: An endoscopic system may include an endoscope including a handle and an elongate shaft extending distally therefrom. The handle may include a non-motorized and non-ratcheting actuation mechanism configured to articulate a distal tip portion of the elongate shaft. The distal tip portion may be articulatable in response to a manually applied force exerted upon the actuation mechanism. Removal of the manually applied force may lock the distal tip portion in its then-current configuration. The non-motorized and non-ratcheting actuation mechanism may include a clutch mechanism actuatable in response to an electrical signal generated in response to sensing a user-applied force to the actuating mechanism by a strain gauge.

Abstract: A structure is provided. The structure may include an alignment mechanism used to align an electric vehicle in a parking lane of an electric vehicle charging station, and a coupler assembly including an arm and a charging coupler located in the parking lane and positioned beneath the electric vehicle, the charging coupler is positioned at one end of the arm, and is moveable in a vertical direction relative to the parking lane, and another end of the arm is pivotally mounted in the parking lane, where the charging coupler includes one or more electrical contacts in a shape of a right conical frustum extending from the charging coupler in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A structure is provided. The structure may include an alignment mechanism used to align an electric vehicle in a parking lane of an electric vehicle charging station, and a coupler assembly including an arm and a charging coupler located in the parking lane and positioned beneath the electric vehicle, the charging coupler is positioned at one end of the arm, and is moveable in a vertical direction relative to the parking lane, and another end of the arm is pivotally mounted in the parking lane, where the charging coupler includes one or more electrical contacts in a shape of a right conical frustum extending from the charging coupler in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A method for controlling user input to a plurality of computer windows is provided. The method determines an input window and an output window, directs a plurality of input commands including primary and secondary input commands to the input window, determines when a user is visually focusing on the output window, and directing the secondary input commands to the output window, while the primary input commands remain directed to the input window.

Abstract: A method for controlling user input to a plurality of computer windows is provided. The method determines an input window and an output window, directs a plurality of input commands including primary and secondary input commands to the input window, determines when a user is visually focusing on the output window, and directing the secondary input commands to the output window, while the primary input commands remain directed to the input window.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method of selecting a radio broadcast includes detecting a radio broadcast and retrieving user preference data, the user preference data specifying one or more preferred radio stations and/or one or more preferred categories of radio broadcast. The method also includes communicating via a local communication device with at least one additional processing device, wherein communicating includes retrieving radio station category information specifying at least one radio station and a category of the at least one radio station. The method further includes correlating the radio station category information with the detected radio broadcast to identify a radio station that originated the radio broadcast and one or more categories associated with the radio station and/or the radio broadcast, and based on determining that the detected radio broadcast corresponds to the user preference data, displaying information describing the detected radio broadcast and/or controlling the radio receiver.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method of selecting a radio broadcast includes detecting a radio broadcast and retrieving user preference data, the user preference data specifying one or more preferred radio stations and/or one or more preferred categories of radio broadcast. The method also includes communicating via a local communication device with at least one additional processing device, wherein communicating includes retrieving radio station category information specifying at least one radio station and a category of the at least one radio station. The method further includes correlating the radio station category information with the detected radio broadcast to identify a radio station that originated the radio broadcast and one or more categories associated with the radio station and/or the radio broadcast, and based on determining that the detected radio broadcast corresponds to the user preference data, displaying information describing the detected radio broadcast and/or controlling the radio receiver.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method of selecting a radio broadcast includes detecting a radio broadcast and retrieving user preference data, the user preference data specifying one or more preferred radio stations and/or one or more preferred categories of radio broadcast. The method also includes communicating via a local communication device with at least one additional processing device, wherein communicating includes retrieving radio station category information specifying at least one radio station and a category of the at least one radio station. The method further includes correlating the radio station category information with the detected radio broadcast to identify a radio station that originated the radio broadcast and one or more categories associated with the radio station and/or the radio broadcast, and based on determining that the detected radio broadcast corresponds to the user preference data, displaying information describing the detected radio broadcast and/or controlling the radio receiver.

Abstract: An embodiment of a method of selecting a radio broadcast includes detecting a radio broadcast and retrieving user preference data, the user preference data specifying one or more preferred radio stations and/or one or more preferred categories of radio broadcast. The method also includes communicating via a local communication device with at least one additional processing device, wherein communicating includes retrieving radio station category information specifying at least one radio station and a category of the at least one radio station. The method further includes correlating the radio station category information with the detected radio broadcast to identify a radio station that originated the radio broadcast and one or more categories associated with the radio station and/or the radio broadcast, and based on determining that the detected radio broadcast corresponds to the user preference data, displaying information describing the detected radio broadcast and/or controlling the radio receiver.

Abstract: A structure is provided. The structure may include an alignment mechanism used to align an electric vehicle in a parking lane of an electric vehicle charging station, and a coupler assembly including an arm and a charging coupler located in the parking lane and positioned beneath the electric vehicle, the charging coupler is positioned at one end of the arm, and is moveable in a vertical direction relative to the parking lane, and another end of the arm is pivotally mounted in the parking lane, where the charging coupler includes one or more electrical contacts in a shape of a right conical frustum extending from the charging coupler in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A structure is provided. The structure may include an alignment mechanism used to align an electric vehicle in a parking lane of an electric vehicle charging station, and a coupler assembly including an arm and a charging coupler located in the parking lane and positioned beneath the electric vehicle, the charging coupler is positioned at one end of the arm, and is moveable in a vertical direction relative to the parking lane, and another end of the arm is pivotally mounted in the parking lane, where the charging coupler includes one or more electrical contacts in a shape of a right conical frustum extending from the charging coupler in the vertical direction.

Abstract: A method for controlling user input to a plurality of computer windows is provided. The method determines an input window and an output window, directs a plurality of input commands including primary and secondary input commands to the input window, determines when a user is visually focusing on the output window, and directing the secondary input commands to the output window, while the primary input commands remain directed to the input window.

Abstract: A method for controlling user input to a plurality of computer windows is provided. The method determines an input window and an output window, directs a plurality of input commands including primary and secondary input commands to the input window, determines when a user is visually focusing on the output window, and directing the secondary input commands to the output window, while the primary input commands remain directed to the input window.

Abstract: A surgical apparatus includes an orientation sensor that detects an actual orientation of a surgical tool. The apparatus also includes a tactile orientation feedback device that selectively provides a tactile orientation feedback signal. Moreover, the apparatus includes a controller that causes the tactile orientation feedback device to provide the tactile orientation feedback signal when the actual orientation of the surgical tool detected by the orientation sensor is substantially equal to a predetermined target orientation of the surgical tool.