Abstract: An apparatus includes a first jaw (16) and a second jaw (618, 718, 900) that cooperate to clamp and staple tissue (90). The second jaw includes a jaw body (620, 720, 902) and a distal tip (619, 719, 906) pivotable relative to the jaw body between a first discrete and a second discrete position. First and second openings (663, 784, 785, 932, 934) are both defined by one of the distal tip or a structure (621, 920) located proximal to the distal tip. A projection (637, 781, 918) is defined by the other of the distal tip or the structure. The projection is positionable within the first opening (663, 785, 932) to releasably retain the distal tip in the first discrete position, and within the second opening (663, 784, 934) to releasably retain the distal tip in the second discrete position.

Abstract: A system is provided that includes a Q3D endoscope disposed to image a field of view and a processor that produces a Q3D model of a scene and identifies target instruments and structures. The processor is configured to display the scene from a virtual field of view of an instrument, to determine a no fly zone around targets, to determine a predicted path for said instruments or to provide 3D tracking of said instruments.

Abstract: A system is provided to provide haptic feedback during a medical procedure comprising: a quantitative three-dimensional (Q3D); a surgical instrument disposed to deform a tissue structure; a haptic user interface device configured to provide an indication of tissue structure deformation in response to information indicative of the measure of tissue structure deformation; and a processor configured to produce a Q3D model that includes information indicative of a measure of tissue structure deformation and to provide the information indicative of the measure of tissue structure deformation to the haptic user interface device.

Abstract: A system is provided that includes a Q3D endoscope disposed to image a field of view and a processor that produces a Q3D model of a scene and identifies target instruments and structures. The processor is configured to display the scene from a virtual field of view of an instrument, to determine a no fly zone around targets, to determine a predicted path for said instruments or to provide 3D tracking of said instruments.

Abstract: A system is provided to provide haptic feedback during a medical procedure comprising: a quantitative three-dimensional (Q3D) endoscope; a surgical instrument disposed to deform a tissue structure; a haptic user interface device configured to provide an indication of tissue structure deformation in response to information indicative of the measure of tissue structure deformation; and a processor configured to produce a Q3D model that includes information indicative of a measure of tissue structure deformation and to provide the information indicative of the measure of tissue structure deformation to the haptic user interface device.

Abstract: A system is provided to provide haptic feedback during a medical procedure comprising: a quantitative three-dimensional (Q3D); a surgical instrument disposed to deform a tissue structure; a haptic user interface device configured to provide an indication of tissue structure deformation in response to information indicative of the measure of tissue structure deformation; and a processor configured to produce a Q3D model that includes information indicative of a measure of tissue structure deformation and to provide the information indicative of the measure of tissue structure deformation to the haptic user interface device.

Abstract: A device is provided that includes an endoscope; an image sensor array is disposed to image a field of view adjacent to the endoscope, each sensor includes a pixel array that is separate from the pixel arrays of other sensors; and a light source is disposed to illuminate the field of view.

Abstract: A system to produce a replacement anatomical structure, comprising: a quantitative three-dimensional (Q3D) endoscope disposed to image a structure within a field of view that includes target tissue; at least one processor configured to: produce a first Q3D model of an anatomical structure that includes target tissue; produce a second Q3D model of the anatomical structure that includes remainder tissue in a location from which the target has been tissue removed; and produce a third Q3D model of a replacement structure based at least in part upon the first Q3D model and the second Q3D model.

Abstract: A system is provided that includes a quantitative three-dimensional (Q3D) endoscope that is inserted through a first port providing access to a body cavity to a first position at which a first 3D image of a first portion of an anatomical structure is captured from a perspective of said endoscope. A first Q3D model is produced based upon the captured first image. The endoscope is inserted through a second port providing access to the body cavity to a second position at which a second image of a second portion of the anatomical structure is captured. A second quantitative Q3D model is produced based upon the captured second image. The first Q3D model and the second Q3D model are combined together to produce an expanded Q3D model of the anatomical structure. The expanded Q3D model can be stored for further manipulation or can be displayed in 3D.

Abstract: A method is provided to align a quantitative three-dimensional (Q3D) model of a three dimensional (3D) structure with a 3D visual representation of a sub-surface target object internal to the anatomical structure, the method comprising: identifying fiducial points within the external surface of the 3D structure represented in the 3D visual representation; identifying the same fiducial points within the Q3D model; aligning the identified fiducial points in the 3D visual representation with the identified fiducial points in the Q3D model; and producing a visual image representation of the 3D structure that includes a view of an external surface and a view of the internal sub-surface target structure.

Abstract: A system is provided to provide haptic feedback during a medical procedure comprising: a quantitative three-dimensional (Q3D); a surgical instrument disposed to deform a tissue structure; a haptic user interface device configured to provide an indication of tissue structure deformation in response to information indicative of the measure of tissue structure deformation; and a processor configured to produce a Q3D model that includes information indicative of a measure of tissue structure deformation and to provide the information indicative of the measure of tissue structure deformation to the haptic user interface device.

Abstract: A system to produce a replacement anatomical structure, comprising: a quantitative three-dimensional (Q3D) endoscope disposed to image a structure within a field of view that includes target tissue; at least one processor configured to: produce a first Q3D model of an anatomical structure that includes target tissue; produce a second Q3D model of the anatomical structure that includes remainder tissue in a location from which the target has been tissue removed; and produce a third Q3D model of a replacement structure based at least in part upon the first Q3D model and the second Q3D model.

Abstract: A device is provided that includes an endoscope; an image sensor array is disposed to image a field of view adjacent to the endoscope, each sensor includes a pixel array that is separate from the pixel arrays of other sensors; and a light source is disposed to illuminate the field of view.

Abstract: A system is provided that includes a quantitative three-dimensional (Q3D) endoscope that is inserted through a first port providing access to a body cavity to a first position at which a first 3D image of a first portion of an anatomical structure is captured from a perspective of said endoscope. A first Q3D model is produced based upon the captured first image. The endoscope is inserted through a second port providing access to the body cavity to a second position at which a second image of a second portion of the anatomical structure is captured. A second quantitative Q3D model is produced based upon the captured second image. The first Q3D model and the second Q3D model are combined together to produce an expanded Q3D model of the anatomical structure. The expanded Q3D model can be stored for further manipulation or can be displayed in 3D.

Abstract: A system is provided that includes a Q3D endoscope disposed to image a field of view and a processor that produces a Q3D model of a scene and identifies target instruments and structures. The processor is configured to display the scene from a virtual field of view of an instrument, to determine a no fly zone around targets, to determine a predicted path for said instruments or to provide 3D tracking of said instruments.

Abstract: A method and system are provided to classify and convey data to satisfy a client request. The classification system is a two dimensional data classification system, including a first dimension pertaining to subject matter and a second dimension pertaining to data security. A partition is dynamically created, and data that satisfies the request populates the created partition to convey parsed data based satisfying both dimensions of the request.

Abstract: A method and system are provided to classify and convey data to satisfy a client request. The classification system is a two dimensional data classification system, including a first dimension pertaining to subject matter and a second dimension pertaining to data security. A partition is dynamically created, and data that satisfies the request populates the created partition to convey parsed data based satisfying both dimensions of the request.

Abstract: Rigid-rod polymer fiber filaments, such as poly (p-phenylenebenzobisoxazole) (PBO), having improved retention of physical properties are prepared by preparing a polymer solution and extruding that solution to form a filament, and then treating that filament with water, base solution, and water. The treated filament may be further heat-treated, or further treated with water. The treated filaments are less susceptible to the degradation caused by heat, humidity, and UV radiation.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a method for limiting access to a virtual sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) and secure transport of information between two virtual SCIFs. The method may comprise creating a virtual SCIF, allowing access to the to the virtual SCIF to only those virtual subjects having the proper security clearance as analyzed by an access rule set loaded into an object request broker, creating a second virtual SCIF, creating a key lockable secure container to transport the information from the first virtual SCIF to the second virtual SCIF, and restricting access to the key to unlock the secure container in the second virtual SCIF.

Abstract: A method of avoiding virtual world fatigue by generating an active avatar in an avatar wallet. The method includes creating and storing an active avatar in the avatar wallet, selecting target worlds for the active avatar to visit, modifying the initial appearance, the user information, the contact map and the characteristic sharing information of the active avatar in accordance with user preferences with respect to each of the target worlds so as to generate a version of the active avatar for each of the target worlds, and initiating a submission of a version of the active avatar to the corresponding target world such that the version is automatically tailored to allowable avatar properties of the corresponding target world.