Abstract: An electromagnetic (EM) system for tracking a surgical tool is provided. The system may comprise a plurality of subsets of field generator coils disposed along edge portions of a surgical bed. Each subset of field generator coils may be configured to generate a magnetic field within a control volume. The system may further comprise a position sensor disposed on a portion of the surgical tool. The position sensor may be configured to generate a sensor signal in response to the magnetic field when the position sensor is located inside the control volume. Additionally, the system may comprise an EM system controller configured to selectively activate one or more of the subsets of field generator coils based on the sensor signal.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses provide improved navigation through tubular networks such as lung airways by providing improved estimation of location and orientation information of a medical instrument (e.g., an endoscope) within the tubular network. Various input data such as image data, EM data, and robot data are used by different algorithms to estimate the state of the medical instrument, and the state information is used to locate a specific site within a tubular network and/or to determine navigation information for what positions/orientations the medical instrument should travel through to arrive at the specific site. Probability distributions together with confidence values are generated corresponding to different algorithms are used to determine the medical instrument's estimated state.

Abstract: A teleoperated system includes a master grip and a ratcheting system coupled to the master grip. The ratcheting system is configured to align the master grip with a slave instrument commanded by the master grip by determining a grip orientation by which the master grip is gripped by an operator, determining a commanded velocity for the slave instrument based on a manipulation of the master grip by the operator, determining an error, and altering the commanded velocity for the slave instrument based on at least the grip orientation and the error. The error includes a parameter selected from a group consisting of a position error between a position of the master grip and a position of the slave instrument and an orientation error between an orientation of the master grip and an orientation of the slave instrument.

Abstract: An instrument device manipulator (IDM) is attached to a surgical arm of a robotic system and comprises a surgical tool holder and an outer housing. The surgical tool holder includes an attachment interface that can secure a surgical tool in a front-mount configuration (where the attachment interface is on a face opposite of a proximal extension of the surgical tool) or a back-mount configuration (where the attachment interface is on the same face as the proximal extension of the surgical tool). The surgical tool holder may rotate continuously within the outer housing. In a back-mount configuration, the surgical tool holder may have a passage that receives the proximal extension of the tool and allows free rotation of the proximal extension about the rotational axis. A surgical drape separates the IDM and robotic arm from a tool, while allowing electrical and/or optical signals to pass therebetween.

Abstract: An endoscope captures images of a surgical site for display in a viewing area of a monitor. When a tool is outside the viewing area, a GUI indicates the position of the tool by positioning a symbol in a boundary area around the viewing area so as to indicate the tool position. The distance of the out-of-view tool from the viewing area may be indicated by the size, color, brightness, or blinking or oscillation frequency of the symbol. A distance number may also be displayed on the symbol. The orientation of the shaft or end effector of the tool may be indicated by an orientation indicator superimposed over the symbol, or by the orientation of the symbol itself. When the tool is inside the viewing area, but occluded by an object, the GUI superimposes a ghost tool at its current position and orientation over the occluding object.

Abstract: A method is described for performing a percutaneous operation on a patient to remove an object from a cavity within the patient. The method includes advancing a first alignment sensor into the cavity through a patient lumen. The first alignment sensor provides its position and orientation in free space in real time. The alignment sensor is manipulated until it is located in proximity to the object. A percutaneous opening is made in the patient with a surgical tool, where the surgical tool includes a second alignment sensor that provides the position and orientation of the surgical tool in free space in real time. The surgical tool is directed towards the object using data provided by both the first and the second alignment sensors.

Abstract: Tissue expanders and their methods of use.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses provide improved navigation through tubular networks such as lung airways by providing improved estimation of location and orientation information of a medical instrument (e.g., an endoscope) within the tubular network. Various input data such as image data, EM data, and robot data are used by different algorithms to estimate the state of the medical instrument, and the state information is used to locate a specific site within a tubular network and/or to determine navigation information for what positions/orientations the medical instrument should travel through to arrive at the specific site. Probability distributions together with confidence values are generated corresponding to different algorithms are used to determine the medical instrument's estimated state.

Abstract: An instrument device manipulator (IDM) is attached to a surgical arm of a robotic system and comprises a surgical tool holder and an outer housing. The surgical tool holder includes an attachment interface that can secure a surgical tool in a front-mount configuration (where the attachment interface is on a face opposite of a proximal extension of the surgical tool) or a back-mount configuration (where the attachment interface is on the same face as the proximal extension of the surgical tool). The surgical tool holder may rotate continuously within the outer housing. In a back-mount configuration, the surgical tool holder may have a passage that receives the proximal extension of the tool and allows free rotation of the proximal extension about the rotational axis. A surgical drape separates the IDM and robotic arm from a tool, while allowing electrical and/or optical signals to pass therebetween.

Abstract: An endoscope captures images of a surgical site for display in a viewing area of a monitor. When a tool is outside the viewing area, a GUI indicates the position of the tool by positioning a symbol in a boundary area around the viewing area so as to indicate the tool position. The distance of the out-of-view tool from the viewing area may be indicated by the size, color, brightness, or blinking or oscillation frequency of the symbol. A distance number may also be displayed on the symbol. The orientation of the shaft or end effector of the tool may be indicated by an orientation indicator superimposed over the symbol, or by the orientation of the symbol itself. When the tool is inside the viewing area, but occluded by an object, the GUI superimposes a ghost tool at its current position and orientation over the occluding object.

Abstract: Systems and methods for moving or manipulating robotic arms are provided. A group of robotic arms are configured to form a virtual rail or line between the end effectors of the robotic arms. The robotic arms are responsive to outside force such as from a user. When a user moves a single one of the robotic arms, the other robotic arms will automatically move to maintain the virtual rail alignments. The virtual rail of the robotic arm end effectors may be translated in one or more of three dimensions. The virtual rail may be rotated about a point on the virtual rail line. The robotic arms can detect the nature of the contact from the user and move accordingly. Holding, shaking, tapping, pushing, pulling, and rotating different parts of the robotic arm elicits different movement responses from different parts of the robotic arm.

Abstract: A teleoperated system includes a master grip and a ratcheting system coupled to the master grip. The ratcheting system is configured to align the master grip with a slave instrument commanded by the master grip by determining a grip orientation by which the master grip is gripped by an operator, determining a commanded velocity for the slave instrument based on a manipulation of the master grip by the operator, determining an error, and altering the commanded velocity for the slave instrument based on at least the grip orientation and the error. The error includes a parameter selected from a group consisting of a position error between a position of the master grip and a position of the slave instrument and an orientation error between an orientation of the master grip and an orientation of the slave instrument.

Abstract: An endoscope captures images of a surgical site for display in a viewing area of a monitor. When a tool is outside the viewing area, a GUI indicates the position of the tool by positioning a symbol in a boundary area around the viewing area so as to indicate the tool position. The distance of the out-of-view tool from the viewing area may be indicated by the size, color, brightness, or blinking or oscillation frequency of the symbol. A distance number may also be displayed on the symbol. The orientation of the shaft or end effector of the tool may be indicated by an orientation indicator superimposed over the symbol, or by the orientation of the symbol itself. When the tool is inside the viewing area, but occluded by an object, the GUI superimposes a ghost tool at its current position and orientation over the occluding object.

Abstract: A teleoperated system includes a master grip and a ratcheting system coupled to the master grip. The ratcheting system is configured to be coupled to a slave instrument. The ratcheting system is further configured to align the master grip with the slave instrument by determining a commanded angular velocity for the slave instrument based on a command from the master grip, determining a current alignment error between an alignment of the master grip and an alignment of the slave instrument, and altering the commanded angular velocity for the slave instrument based on the current alignment error. In some embodiments, the ratcheting system is further configured to introduce a control system error to alter the commanded angular velocity. In some embodiments, the current alignment error is a rotation angle error between the alignment of the master grip and the alignment of the slave instrument.

Abstract: Systems and methods for moving or manipulating robotic arms are provided. A group of robotic arms are configured to form a virtual rail or line between the end effectors of the robotic arms. The robotic arms are responsive to outside force such as from a user. When a user moves a single one of the robotic arms, the other robotic arms will automatically move to maintain the virtual rail alignments. The virtual rail of the robotic arm end effectors may be translated in one or more of three dimensions. The virtual rail may be rotated about a point on the virtual rail line. The robotic arms can detect the nature of the contact from the user and move accordingly. Holding, shaking, tapping, pushing, pulling, and rotating different parts of the robotic arm elicits different movement responses from different parts of the robotic arm.

Abstract: A method is described for performing a percutaneous operation on a patient to remove an object from a cavity within the patient. The method includes advancing a first alignment sensor into the cavity through a patient lumen. The first alignment sensor provides its position and orientation in free space in real time. The alignment sensor is manipulated until it is located in proximity to the object. A percutaneous opening is made in the patient with a surgical tool, where the surgical tool includes a second alignment sensor that provides the position and orientation of the surgical tool in free space in real time. The surgical tool is directed towards the object using data provided by both the first and the second alignment sensors.

Abstract: An instrument device manipulator (IDM) is attached to a surgical arm of a robotic system and comprises a surgical tool holder and an outer housing. The surgical tool holder includes an attachment interface that can secure a surgical tool in a front-mount configuration (where the attachment interface is on a face opposite of an elongated body of the surgical tool) or a back-mount configuration (where the attachment interface is on the same face as the elongated body of the surgical tool). The surgical tool holder may rotate continuously within the outer housing. In a back-mount configuration, the surgical tool holder may have a passage that receives the elongated body of the tool and allows free rotation of the elongated body about the rotational axis. A surgical drape separates the IDM and robotic arm from a tool, while allowing electrical and/or optical signals to pass therebetween.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the invention, a robotic surgical instrument is provided for the control of flows of one or more fluids into and out of a surgical site. The robotic surgical instrument may include a housing, a flow control system, a hollow tube, and one or more hose fittings. The housing to couple the instrument to a robotic arm. The flow control system mounted in the housing includes one or more controlled valves to control the flow of one or more fluids. The hollow tube has a first end mounted in the housing coupled to the flow control system. A second end of the hollow tube has one or more openings to allow the flow of fluids into and out of the surgical site. The hose fittings have a first end coupled to the flow control system and a second end to couple to hoses.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses provide improved navigation through tubular networks such as lung airways by providing improved estimation of location and orientation information of a medical instrument (e.g., an endoscope) within the tubular network. Various input data such as image data, EM data, and robot data are used by different algorithms to estimate the state of the medical instrument, and the state information is used to locate a specific site within a tubular network and/or to determine navigation information for what positions/orientations the medical instrument should travel through to arrive at the specific site. Probability distributions together with confidence values are generated corresponding to different algorithms are used to determine the medical instrument's estimated state.

Abstract: A surgical robotic system automatically calibrates tubular and flexible surgical tools such as endoscopes. By accounting for nonlinear behavior of an endoscope, the surgical robotic system can accurately model motions of the endoscope and navigate the endoscope while performing a surgical procedure on a patient. The surgical robotic system models the nonlinearities using sets of calibration parameters determined based on images captured by an image sensor of the endoscope. Calibration parameters can describe translational or rotational movements of the endoscope in one or more axis, e.g., pitch and yaw, as well as a slope, hysteresis, or dead zone value corresponding to the endoscope's motion. The endoscope can include tubular components referred to as a sheath and leader. An instrument device manipulator of the surgical robotic system actuates pull wires coupled to the sheath or the leader, which causes the endoscope to articulate.