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 system comprises a teleoperated manipulator, a manually operated surgical instrument coupled to the teleoperated manipulator, a teleoperated surgical instrument coupled to the teleoperated manipulator, and a shape sensor comprising a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the shape sensor is coupled to a proximal end of a cannula, and the second portion of the shape sensor is coupled to the manually operated surgical instrument. The shape sensor is configured to provide a sensor input to a controller, and the sensor input comprises information representing an insertion depth of the manually operated surgical instrument into the cannula.

Abstract: A medical system comprises an elongate instrument including a camera configured to capture at least one real-time image of anatomy within a patient anatomy. The medical system further comprises a processor configured to display, on one or more display screens: a three-dimensional patient computer model of the patient anatomy; a synthetic representation of the elongate instrument registered to the three-dimensional patient computer model; over the patient computer model, a representation of a view angle of the elongate instrument, the representation of the view angle being displayed so as to appear to project from a distal tip of the synthetic representation of the elongate instrument; and in a position based on the registration of the synthetic representation of the elongate instrument to the patient computer model, the at least one captured real-time image so as to appear to project from the distal tip of the synthetic representation of the elongate instrument.

Abstract: A medical instrument for surgery includes at least one frame and at least one jointed device. The jointed device includes at least one first joint member, or first link, adapted to connect to at least one portion of the frame and at least one second joint member, or second link. The first joint member is connected by a rotational joint to the second joint member. The medical instrument includes at least a pair of tendons, adapted to move the second joint member with respect to the first joint member. Each of the first joint member and the second joint member includes a main structural body made in a single piece with one or more convex contact surfaces. Each of the convex contact surfaces is a ruled surface formed by straight line portions all parallel to each other and substantially parallel to a joint movement axis.

Abstract: A medical instrument for surgery includes at least one frame and at least one jointed device. The jointed device includes at least one first joint member, or first link, adapted to connect to at least one portion of the frame and at least one second joint member, or second link. The first joint member is connected by a rotational joint to the second joint member. The medical instrument includes at least a pair of tendons, adapted to move the second joint member with respect to the first joint member. Each of the first joint member and the second joint member includes a main structural body made in a single piece with one or more convex contact surfaces. Each of the convex contact surfaces is a ruled surface formed by straight line portions all parallel to each other and substantially parallel to a joint movement axis.

Abstract: A master controller assembly for a robotic surgery system has a slave robot assembly, a slave surgical instrument and a control unit. The master controller assembly has a master input tool and a convex manipulandum surface to be hand-held by surgeon's fingers. The master input tool is mechanically unconstrained from the slave robot assembly, naturally movable, rotatable and spinnable by the surgeon. The master input tool includes first and second elongated elements having respectively a first element elongated body and a second element elongated body. A tool joint connects and articulates the first and second element elongated bodies. A sensing assembly detects mutual position of the first and second element elongated bodies, so that a gripping pressure action exerted by the surgeon's fingers on the master input tool moves the first and second element elongated bodies closer and determines a paired grip motion of a surgical grip device.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a jointed device of a medical instrument includes providing a machining fixture on a wire electrical discharge machine having an electrical discharge wire. The fixture includes member holes each adapted to accommodate at least one workpiece, the workpiece being adapted to form a portion of the jointed device of the medical instrument. At least two workpieces each include a first workpiece and a second workpiece, accommodated within at least two member holes of the member holes. The fixture is associated with the wire electrical discharge machine so that the electrical discharge wire can cut at most one workpiece at a time. The machining fixture is rotated around a fixture rotation axis at a predetermined angle, which is chosen to provide that the electrical discharge wire can cut only one workpiece at a time. The workpieces are cut by the electrical discharge wire.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a jointed device of a medical instrument includes providing a machining fixture on a wire electrical discharge machine having an electrical discharge wire. The fixture includes member holes each adapted to accommodate at least one workpiece, the workpiece being adapted to form a portion of the jointed device of the medical instrument. At least two workpieces each include a first workpiece and a second workpiece, accommodated within at least two member holes of the member holes. The fixture is associated with the wire electrical discharge machine so that the electrical discharge wire can cut at most one workpiece at a time. The machining fixture is rotated around a fixture rotation axis at a predetermined angle, which is chosen to provide that the electrical discharge wire can cut only one workpiece at a time. The workpieces are cut by the electrical discharge wire.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a jointed device of a medical instrument includes providing a machining fixture on a wire electrical discharge machine having an electrical discharge wire. The fixture includes member holes each adapted to accommodate at least one workpiece, the workpiece being adapted to form a portion of the jointed device of the medical instrument. At least two workpieces each include a first workpiece and a second workpiece, accommodated within at least two member holes of the member holes. The fixture is associated with the wire electrical discharge machine so that the electrical discharge wire can cut at most one workpiece at a time. The machining fixture is rotated around a fixture rotation axis at a predetermined angle, which is chosen to provide that the electrical discharge wire can cut only one workpiece at a time. The workpieces are cut by the electrical discharge wire.

Abstract: A medical instrument for surgery includes at least one frame and at least one jointed device. The jointed device includes at least one first joint member, or first link, adapted to connect to at least one portion of the frame and at least one second joint member, or second link. The first joint member is connected by a rotational joint to the second joint member. The medical instrument includes at least a pair of tendons, adapted to move the second joint member with respect to the first joint member. Each of the first joint member and the second joint member includes a main structural body made in a single piece with one or more convex contact surfaces. Each of the convex contact surfaces is a ruled surface formed by straight line portions all parallel to each other and substantially parallel to a joint movement axis.

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, or 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: A medical instrument may include multiple joint members and at least two pairs of tendons connected with the joint members and adapted to move at least one of the joint members relative to at least one other joint member. Each joint member may include a main structural body that may be a single piece and includes at least one convex contact surface. A main portion of each tendon contacts the medical instrument only on the convex contact surfaces.

Abstract: A medical instrument may include multiple joint members and at least two pairs of tendons connected with the joint members and adapted to move at least one of the joint members relative to at least one other joint member. Each joint member may include a main structural body that may be a single piece and includes at least one convex contact surface. A main portion of each tendon contacts the medical instrument only on the convex contact surfaces.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a jointed device of a medical instrument includes providing a machining fixture on a wire electrical discharge machine having an electrical discharge wire. The fixture includes member holes each adapted to accommodate at least one workpiece, the workpiece being adapted to form a portion of the jointed device of the medical instrument. At least two workpieces each include a first workpiece and a second workpiece, accommodated within at least two member holes of the member holes. The fixture is associated with the wire electrical discharge machine so that the electrical discharge wire can cut at most one workpiece at a time. The machining fixture is rotated around a fixture rotation axis at a predetermined angle, which is chosen to provide that the electrical discharge wire can cut only one workpiece at a time. The workpieces are cut by the electrical discharge wire.

Abstract: Information extracted from sequential images captured from the perspective of a distal end of a medical device moving through an anatomical structure are compared with corresponding information extracted from a computer model of the anatomical structure. A most likely match between the information extracted from the sequential images and the corresponding information extracted from the computer model is then determined using probabilities associated with a set of potential matches so as to register the computer model of the anatomical structure to the medical device and thereby determine the lumen of the anatomical structure which the medical device is currently in. Sensor information may be used to limit the set of potential matches. Feature attributes associated with the sequence of images and the set of potential matches may be quantitatively compared as part of the determination of the most likely match.

Abstract: A sterile console includes at least one master input tool mechanically ungrounded and suitable to be hand-held by a surgeon during surgery. A surgical chair has a seating surface to accommodate the surgeon during surgery. A tracking system detects position and orientation of the master input tool within a predefined tracking volume. A tool supporting element receives the master input tool. The consoles also includes a slave robot assembly has at least one surgical instrument designed to operate on a patient anatomy, and a control unit. A field generator of the tracking system is integral with a portion of the surgical chair so that, when the surgeon is seated and hand-holds the master input tool, the master input tool is located within the predefined tracking volume. The position and orientation of the master input tool are detected by the tracking system.

Abstract: A master controller assembly for a robotic surgery system has a slave robot assembly having a slave surgical grip device providing a grip degree-of-freedom of motion lying in a predefined slave grip plane and a control unit. The master controller assembly has a portable hand-held master input tool operatively connected to the slave robot assembly. The master input tool has a master tool body having a manipulandum surface, to be hand-held by the surgeon's fingers. The master input tool is mechanically unconstrained from the slave robot assembly and has a grip command detector device having an operative portion. The operative portion is manually operable by radially directed pressure action exerted at an operative surface. A sensing assembly detects the radially directed pressure action so that the radially directed pressure action exerted at the operative surface determines a paired slave grip motion action of the surgical slave grip device.

Abstract: Landmark directional guidance is provided to an operator of an endoscopic device by displaying graphical representations of vectors adjacent a current image captured by an image capturing device disposed at a tip of the endoscopic device and being displayed at the time on a display screen, wherein the graphical representations of the vectors point in directions that the endoscope tip is to be steered in order to move towards associated landmarks such as anatomic structures in a patient.

Abstract: A robotic surgical assembly includes a slave manipulator with an actuator, a pushing device connected to the actuator, a sensor detecting a contact force on the pushing device, a position sensing system, and a control unit. A surgical instrument is detachable to the slave manipulator and separated from the slave manipulator by a sterile barrier. The surgical instrument includes a frame; an articulated link; a tendon associated with the actuator, having proximal and distal portions secured to the link. A transmission device in contact with the tendon proximal portion exerts a traction action. The transmission device has one degree of freedom of motion relative to the frame. The pushing device releasably and selectively connects with the transmission device to transmit a pushing action to the transmission device through the sterile barrier. An elastic device biases the transmission device to exert a traction action on the tendon.

Abstract: A robotic surgical assembly includes a slave manipulator connected to a surgical instrument. A jointed subassembly includes at least a first, second and third links. The first and second links are associated in a first joint providing a degree of freedom between the first link and the second link. The second and third links are associated in a second joint providing a degree of freedom between the second link and the third link. The surgical instrument includes a tendon for moving a degree of freedom; the tendon including a tendon distal portion secured to the third link. The first link and/or the second link includes a tendon contact surface on which the tendon slides remaining in contact with the tendon contact surface, defining one or more sliding paths on the tendon contact surface. The sum of all sliding paths defines a total winding angle of at least 120°.