Abstract: A surgical system includes a flexible steerable needle and a shape sensor for measuring the shape of the needle. The surgical system can be manual (e.g., laparoscopic), robotic, or any combination of the two. By directly measuring the shape of the needle, complex and potentially inaccurate modeling of the needle to determine trajectory and insertion depth can be avoided in favor of much more robust direct measurement and modeling of needle shape and/or pose.

Abstract: A system comprises a first robotic arm adapted to support and move a tool and a second robotic arm adapted to support and move a camera. The system also comprises an input device, a display, and a processor. The processor is configured to, in a first mode, command the first robotic arm to move the camera in response to a first input received from the input device to capture an image of the tool and present the image as a displayed image on the display. The processor is configured to, in a second mode, display a synthetic image of the first robotic arm in a boundary area around the captured image on the display, and in response to a second input, change a size of the boundary area relative a size of the displayed image.

Abstract: A medical system may comprise a display and a processor configured to determine an optimal position for an image capturing instrument to view working ends of a plurality of medical instruments when the plurality of medical instruments and the image capturing instrument are each extending out of a distal end of an entry guide. The processor may also be configured to cause the optimal position to be displayed on the display along with an image captured by the image capturing instrument of the working ends of the plurality of medical instruments.

Abstract: A surgical instrument may comprise a housing and a shaft a shaft extending within the housing. The shaft may include first and second ends. The shaft may be configured for rotation in response to either a robotic actuation of the shaft or a manual actuation of the shaft. The surgical instrument may also comprise a receiving member coupled to the first end of the shaft. The receiving member may be configured to releasably couple to a driver of a robotic manipulator to receive the robotic actuation from the driver to rotate the shaft and articulate an instrument component coupled to the shaft. The surgical instrument may also comprise a manual actuation component coupled to the second end of the shaft and extending from the housing. The manual actuation component may be configured to receive the manual actuation to rotate the shaft and articulate the instrument component coupled to the shaft.

Abstract: A minimally invasive system comprises an elongate medical instrument including a flexible body. The flexible body includes a wall including a channel, and the channel includes a groove. The flexible body further includes a lumen defined by an interior surface of the wall and a curved distal tip portion. The elongate medical instrument further includes a shape sensor coupled to the flexible body. The shape sensor is at least partially positioned within the groove, and the shape sensor is configured to detect shape characteristics of at least a portion of the flexible body. The system further includes an actuator for manipulating the elongate medical instrument.

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: Vision systems on catheters, cannulas, or similar devices with guiding lumens include receptors distributed in annular areas around respective lumens. Each of the receptors has a field of view covering only a portion of an object environment, and the field of view of each of the receptors overlaps with at least one of the fields of view of the other receptors. A processing system can receive image data from the receptors of the vision systems and combine the image data to construct a visual representation of the object environment.

Abstract: A surgical instrument comprises a housing and a valve mounted in the housing. The valve is configured to control a flow of a fluid into or out of a surgical site in response to either a robotic actuation of the valve or a manual actuation of the valve. The valve comprises a valve shaft, a receiving member structurally coupled to the valve shaft, and a manual actuation component structurally coupled to the valve shaft and extending from the housing. The receiving member is configured to releasably couple to a driver of a robotic manipulator to receive the robotic actuation from the driver remotely controlled by a surgeon to adjust a state of the valve. The manual actuation component is configured to receive the manual actuation to adjust the state of the valve.

Abstract: Robotic devices, systems, and methods for use in robotic surgery and other robotic applications, and/or medical instrument devices, systems, and methods includes both a reusable processor and a limited-use robotic tool or medical treatment probe. A memory the limited-use component includes machine readable code with data and/or programming instructions to be implemented by the processor. Programming of the processor can be updated by shipping of new data once downloaded by the processor from a component, subsequent components can take advantage of the updated processor without repeated downloading.

Abstract: Methods and system perform tool tracking during minimally invasive robotic surgery. Tool states are determined. using triangulation techniques or a Bayesian filter from either or both non-endoscopically derived and endoscopically derived tool state information, or from either or both non-visually derived and visually derived tool state information. The non-endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from sensor data provided either by sensors associated with a mechanism for manipulating the tool, or sensors capable of detecting identifiable signals emanating or reflecting from the tool and indicative of its position, of external cameras viewing an end of the tool extending out of the body. The endoscopically derived tool state information is derived from image data provided by an endoscope inserted in the body so as to view the tool.

Abstract: Medical and/or robotic devices, systems and methods can provide an indicator associated with each manipulator assembly of a multi-arm telerobotic or telesurgical system. The exemplary indicator comprises a multi-color light emitting diode (LED) mounted to a manipulator moving an associated surgical instrument, allowing the indicator to display any of a wide variety of signals. The invention may provide an additional user interface to facilitate communications between the telesurgical system and/or members of a telesurgical team.

Abstract: In a coupled control mode, the surgeon directly controls movement of an associated slave manipulator with an input device while indirectly controlling movement of one or more non-associated slave manipulators, in response to commanded motion of the directly controlled slave manipulator, to achieve a secondary objective. By automatically performing secondary tasks through coupled control modes, the system's usability is enhanced by reducing the surgeon's need to switch to another direct mode to manually achieve the desired secondary objective. Thus, coupled control modes allow the surgeon to better focus on performing medical procedures and to pay less attention to managing the system.

Abstract: Robotic devices, systems, and methods for use in robotic surgery and other robotic applications, and/or medical instrument devices, systems, and methods include both a reusable processor and a limited-use robotic tool or medical treatment probe. A memory on the limited-use component includes machine readable code with data and/or programming instructions to be implemented by the processor. Programming of the processor is updated by shipping of new data. Once downloaded by the processor from a component, subsequent components take advantage of the updated processor without repeated downloading.

Abstract: A system includes a control device, a manipulator configured to support a tool having a tool frame; and at least one processor coupled to the control device and the manipulator. The at least one processor configured to perform a method. The method includes receiving one or more images captured by an image-capturing system, the image-capturing system having an image frame. The tool is visible in the one or more images. The method also includes determining an estimated frame transform based on the one or more images. The estimated frame transform is used in defining an unknown frame transform between the image frame and the tool frame. The method also includes determining, in response to an input received at the control device, an output movement for the tool based on the estimated frame transform. The method also includes causing movement of the tool based on the output movement.

Abstract: Medical and/or robotic devices, systems and methods can provide an indicator associated with each manipulator assembly of a multi-arm telerobotic or telesurgical system. The exemplary indicator comprises a multi-color light emitting diode (LED) mounted to a manipulator moving an associated surgical instrument, allowing the indicator to display any of a wide variety of signals. The invention may provide an additional user interface to facilitate communications between the telesurgical system and/or members of a telesurgical team.

Abstract: A method of operating a shape sensing apparatus comprises receiving shape data from a first shape sensor. The first shape sensor includes a first plurality of optical cores extending between a first section and a second section of an elongated optical fiber. The method further comprises receiving shape data from a second shape sensor. The second shape sensor includes a second plurality of optical cores extending between the first and second sections of the elongated optical fiber. The method further comprises determining a shape of the elongated optical fiber between the first and second sections by combining the shape data from the first and second shape sensors.

Abstract: Medical and/or robotic devices, systems and methods can provide an indicator associated with each manipulator assembly of a multi-arm telerobotic or telesurgical system. The exemplary indicator comprises a multi-color light emitting diode (LED) mounted to a manipulator moving an associated surgical instrument, allowing the indicator to display any of a wide variety of signals. The invention may provide an additional user interface to facilitate communications between the telesurgical system and/or members of a telesurgical team.

Abstract: A system includes a control device, a manipulator configured to support a tool having a tool frame, and at least one processor coupled to the control device and the manipulator. The at least one processor is configured to perform a method. The method includes receiving one or more images captured by an image-capturing system, the image-capturing system having an image frame. The tool is visible in the one or more images. The method further includes determining, based on information in the one or more images, an estimated frame transform relating the image frame and the tool frame, determining, based on the estimated frame transform, an output movement for the tool in response to an input at the control device, and causing movement of the tool according to the output movement.

Abstract: A medical system comprises a control system and a display device coupled to the control system. The control system comprises a processor and a memory comprising machine readable instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the control system to generate a primary image of an anatomic structure and manipulate a therapeutic instrument to deliver a therapy to the anatomic structure. The control system also determines an effect of the therapy on the anatomic structure and displays a representation of the effect of the therapy in an auxiliary image registered with the primary image of the anatomic structure.

Abstract: A method of operating a shape sensing apparatus comprises receiving first shape data from a first shape sensor section including a first elongated optical fiber section extending between a first location coupled to a reference fixture and a second location coupled to a first target fixture. The method further comprises receiving second shape data from a second shape sensor section including a second elongated optical fiber section extending between a third location coupled to the reference fixture and a fourth location coupled to the first target fixture. The first and third locations are maintained in a first known kinematic relationship, and the second and fourth locations are maintained in a second known kinematic relationship. The method further comprises determining a position of an end portion of the first shape sensor section using the second shape data and using the first and second known kinematic relationships.