Patents by Inventor Gregory S. Fischer
Gregory S. Fischer has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240130808Abstract: A system and method for image guided assisted medical procedures using modular units, such that a controller, under the direction of a computer and imaging device, can be utilized to drive and track low cost, purpose specific manipulators. The system utilizes modular actuators, self tracking, and linkages. The systems can be optimized at a low cost for most effectively performing surgical procedures, while reusing the more costly components of the system, e.g. the control, driving, and tracking systems. The system and method may utilize MRI real time guidance during the above procedures.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 29, 2023Publication date: April 25, 2024Inventors: Gregory S. Fischer, Gregory A. Cole, Julie G. Pilitsis
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Publication number: 20240090881Abstract: A system for MRI-guided interventional needle procedures comprises a master device providing haptic feedback to and receiving position commands from the operator, a robot controller receiving position commands and providing force information to said master device, a navigation component receiving images from an MRI scanner; said navigation component providing trajectory planning information to said robot controller, a slave robot driving a needle, the slave robot receiving control information from the robot controller, and a fiber optic sensor operatively connected to said slave robot. The fiber optic sensor provides data to the robot controller to provide force information to the master device. The master device, robot controller, navigation component, slave robot and sensor are compatible with an MRI environment and operate inside an MRI scanner room.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 27, 2023Publication date: March 21, 2024Inventors: Gregory S. Fischer, Hao Su
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Patent number: 11602266Abstract: An articulating, steerable surgical probe includes an elongated, flexible transfer tube adapted for insertion into a surgical region for endoscopic laryngeal laser surgery. A lumen is defined by an interior of the transfer tube, and a laser fiber extends through the lumen for delivering a therapeutic laser signal to a distal end of the laser fiber. An articulating tip at the distal end of the transfer tube is responsive to articulating forces from a retractable tether for directing the treatment probe in a direction of the articulation, and a linkage to the tether from a control module effects controlled retraction of the tether for articulating the tip towards a surgical target, such that the articulating tip imposing a bend radius based on a signal loss through the laser fiber.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2020Date of Patent: March 14, 2023Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Loris Fichera, Kevin O'Brien, Zachary R. Boyer, Cory T. Brolliar, Benjamin G. Mart, Gregory S. Fischer, Kenneth Stafford, Thomas Carroll, Karim A. Tarabein
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Publication number: 20220280755Abstract: A needle steering system and apparatus provides active, semi-autonomous control of needle insertion paths while still enabling a clinician ultimate control over needle insertion. A method and system controls the needle path as the needle is inserted by precisely controlling the rotation of the needle as it continuously rotates during insertion. This enables underactuated 2 degree-of-freedom (DOF) control of the direction and the curvature of the needle from a single rotary actuator. Control of the rotary motion is therefore decoupled from the needle insertion. The rotary motion controls steering effort and direction, while the insertion controls needle depth or insertion speed. In one implementation, the proposed method does not require constant velocity insertion, interleaved insertion and rotation, or known insertion position or speed. The insertion may be provided by a robot or other automated method, may be a manual insertion, or may be a teleoperated insertion.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 27, 2021Publication date: September 8, 2022Inventors: Gregory S. Fischer, Hao Su
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Publication number: 20220031420Abstract: A surgical head clamp and robotics platform secures a head of a patient and positions an instrument relative to the head for a medical procedure. The head clamp and robotics platform comprises a planar C-shaped frame for at least partially encircling the head of a patient. An instrument arm is mounted is to a free distal end of one arm member of the frame. The instrument arm extends away from the arm member in a direction transverse to the plane of the frame. The instrument arm includes a base mounted to the arm member for movement along, three degrees of freedom relative to the frame, a proximal portion extending from and pivotally connected to the base, and a distal instrument holder extending from and pivotally connected to the proximal portion. The instrument arm functions to selectively position the instrument in an angular position relative to the head clamp.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2021Publication date: February 3, 2022Inventors: Gregory S. Fischer, Benjamin Piecuch, Dino Kasvikis, Perry A. Genova
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Patent number: 11207500Abstract: A needle steering system and apparatus provides active, semi-autonomous control of needle insertion paths while still enabling a clinician ultimate control over needle insertion. A method and system controls the needle path as the needle is inserted by precisely controlling the rotation of the needle as it continuously rotates during insertion. This enables underactuated 2 degree-of-freedom (DOF) control of the direction and the curvature of the needle from a single rotary actuator. Control of the rotary motion is therefore decoupled from the needle insertion. The rotary motion controls steering effort and direction, while the insertion controls needle depth or insertion speed. In one implementation, the proposed method does not require constant velocity insertion, interleaved insertion and rotation, or known insertion position or speed. The insertion may be provided by a robot or other automated method, may be a manual insertion, or may be a teleoperated insertion.Type: GrantFiled: August 21, 2018Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: Worcester Polytechnic InstituteInventors: Gregory S. Fischer, Hao Su
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Publication number: 20210338121Abstract: A surgical instrument may be configured to sense a light re-emitting probe to resolve tissue oxygenation, the surgical instrument including: an optical emitter configured to excite the light re-emitting probe within an absorption band of the light re-emitting probe; an optical detector configured to receive the re-emitted light from the probe; and a signal processor configured to resolve the tissue oxygenation based on the received light. The surgical instrument can be a surgical stapler anvil or a flexible substrate having a tissue interfacing surface. Further, a monitoring device may be configured to map oxygenation of a tissue containing a light re-emitting probe, the monitoring device including: an optical emitter configured to excite the light re-emitting probe; at least one optical detector configured to receive the re-emitted light from the probe; and a signal processor that is configured to resolve the tissue oxygenation at multiple points to generate an oxygen map.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Applicant: SURGISENSE CORPORATIONInventors: Jason M. ZAND, Gregory S. FISCHER
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Publication number: 20210093304Abstract: A system for MRI-guided interventional needle procedures comprises a master device providing haptic feedback to and receiving position commands from the operator, a robot controller receiving position commands and providing force information to said master device, a navigation component receiving images from an MRI scanner; said navigation component providing trajectory planning information to said robot controller, a slave robot driving a needle, the slave robot receiving control information from the robot controller, and a fiber optic sensor operatively connected to said slave robot. The fiber optic sensor provides data to the robot controller to provide force information to the master device. The master device, robot controller, navigation component, slave robot and sensor are compatible with an MRI environment and operate inside an MRI scanner room.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2020Publication date: April 1, 2021Inventors: Gregory S. Fischer, Hao Su
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Publication number: 20200289201Abstract: An articulating, steerable surgical probe includes an elongated, flexible transfer tube adapted for insertion into a surgical region for endoscopic laryngeal laser surgery. A lumen is defined by an interior of the transfer tube, and a laser fiber extends through the lumen for delivering a therapeutic laser signal to a distal end of the laser fiber. An articulating tip at the distal end of the transfer tube is responsive to articulating forces from a retractable tether for directing the treatment probe in a direction of the articulation, and a linkage to the tether from a control module effects controlled retraction of the tether for articulating the tip towards a surgical target, such that the articulating tip imposing a bend radius based on a signal loss through the laser fiber.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 12, 2020Publication date: September 17, 2020Inventors: Loris Fichera, Kevin O'Brien, Zachary R. Boyer, Cory T. Brolliar, Benjamin G. Mart, Gregory S. Fischer, Kenneth Stafford, Thomas Carroll
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Publication number: 20190282145Abstract: A surgical instrument may be configured to sense a light re-emitting probe to resolve tissue oxygenation, the surgical instrument including: an optical emitter configured to excite the light re-emitting probe within an absorption band of the light re-emitting probe; an optical detector configured to receive the re-emitted light from the probe; and a signal processor configured to resolve the tissue oxygenation based on the received light. The surgical instrument can be a surgical stapler anvil or a flexible substrate having a tissue interfacing surface. Further, a monitoring device may be configured to map oxygenation of a tissue containing a light re-emitting probe, the monitoring device including: an optical emitter configured to excite the light re-emitting probe; at least one optical detector configured to receive the re-emitted light from the probe; and a signal processor that is configured to resolve the tissue oxygenation at multiple points to generate an oxygen map.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2018Publication date: September 19, 2019Applicant: SURGISENSE CORPORATIONInventors: Jason M. ZAND, Gregory S. FISCHER
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Publication number: 20190223972Abstract: A surgical head clamp and robotics platform secures a head of a patient and positions an instrument relative to the head for a medical procedure. The head clamp and robotics platform comprises a planar C-shaped frame for at least partially encircling the head of a patient. An instrument arm is mounted is to a free distal end of one arm member of the frame. The instrument arm extends away from the min member in a direction transverse to the plane of the frame. The instrument arm includes a base mounted to the arm member for movement along three degrees of freedom relative to the frame, a proximal portion extending from and pivotally connected to the base, and a distal instrument holder extending from and pivotally connected to the proximal portion. The instrument arm functions to selectively position the instrument in an angular position relative to the head clamp.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 22, 2019Publication date: July 25, 2019Inventors: Gregory S. Fischer, Benjamin Piecuch, Dino Kasvikis, Perry A. Genova
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Publication number: 20190108770Abstract: Methods and systems for observing/analyzing interactive behavior are presented. In one instance, the method for observing/analyzing interactive behavior includes interacting, using a robot, with a subject and obtaining data from interaction between the subject and the robot, the data from the data acquisition components, the data being used for diagnosis and/or charting progress. In one instance, the robot includes data acquisition components, interaction inducing components (such as, but not limited to, movable eyelids, movable appendages, sound generating components), a control component operatively connected to the interaction inducing components and a processing component operatively connected to the control component and the data acquisition components, the processing component being configured to obtain data from the data acquisition components, the data being used for diagnosis and/or charting progress.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 10, 2018Publication date: April 11, 2019Inventors: Gregory S. Fischer, Hao Su, Laurie Dickstein-Fischer, Kevin Harrington, Elizabeth V. Alexander
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Publication number: 20190054275Abstract: A needle steering system and apparatus provides active, semi-autonomous control of needle insertion paths while still enabling a clinician ultimate control over needle insertion. The present teaching describes a method and system for controlling needle path as the needle is inserted by precisely controlling the rotation of the needle as it continuously rotates during insertion. This enables underactuated 2 degree-of-freedom (DOF) control of the direction and the curvature of the needle from a single rotary actuator. Control of the rotary motion is therefore decoupled from the needle insertion. The rotary motion controls steering effort and direction, while the insertion controls needle depth or insertion speed. In one implementation, the proposed method does not require constant velocity insertion, interleaved insertion and rotation, or known insertion position or speed. The insertion may be provided by a robot or other automated method, may be a manual insertion, or may be a teleoperated insertion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 21, 2018Publication date: February 21, 2019Inventors: Gregory S. FISCHER, Hao SU
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Patent number: 10182879Abstract: A surgical head clamp and robotics platform secures a head of a patient and positions an instrument relative to the head for a medical procedure. The head clamp and robotics platform comprises a planar C-shaped frame for at least partially encircling the head of a patient. An instrument arm is mounted is to a free distal end of one arm member of the frame. The instrument arm extends away from the arm member in a direction transverse to the plane of the frame. The instrument arm includes a base mounted to the arm member for movement along three degrees of freedom relative to the frame, a proximal portion extending from and pivotally connected to the base, and a distal instrument holder extending from and pivotally connected to the proximal portion. The instrument arm functions to selectively position the instrument in an angular position relative to the head clamp.Type: GrantFiled: April 24, 2017Date of Patent: January 22, 2019Inventors: Benjamin Piecuch, Dino Kasvikis, Perry A. Genova, Gregory S. Fischer
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Patent number: 10176725Abstract: Methods and systems for observing/analyzing interactive behavior are presented. In one instance, the method for observing/analyzing interactive behavior includes interacting, using a robot, with a subject and obtaining data from interaction between the subject and the robot, the data from the data acquisition components, the data being used for diagnosis and/or charting progress. In one instance, the robot includes data acquisition components, interaction inducing components (such as, but not limited to, movable eyelids, movable appendages, sound generating components), a control component operatively connected to the interaction inducing components and a processing component operatively connected to the control component and the data acquisition components, the processing component being configured to obtain data from the data acquisition components, the data being used for diagnosis and/or charting progress.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2012Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTEInventors: Gregory S. Fischer, Hao Su, Laurie Dickstein-Fischer, Kevin Harrington, Elizabeth V. Alexander
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Patent number: 10052458Abstract: A needle steering system and apparatus provides active, semi-autonomous control of needle insertion paths while still enabling a clinician ultimate control over needle insertion. The present teaching describes a method and system for controlling needle path as the needle is inserted by precisely controlling the rotation of the needle as it continuously rotates during insertion. This enables underactuated 2 degree-of-freedom (DOF) control of the direction and the curvature of the needle from a single rotary actuator. Control of the rotary motion is therefore decoupled from the needle insertion. The rotary motion controls steering effort and direction, while the insertion controls needle depth or insertion speed. In one implementation, the proposed method does not require constant velocity insertion, interleaved insertion and rotation, or known insertion position or speed. The insertion may be provided by a robot or other automated method, may be a manual insertion, or may be a teleoperated insertion.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2013Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: WORCESTER POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTEInventors: Gregory S. Fischer, Hao Su
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Publication number: 20180049826Abstract: A system and method for image guided assisted medical procedures using modular units, such that a controller, under the direction of a computer and imaging device, can be utilized to drive and track low cost, purpose specific manipulators. The system utilizes modular actuators, self tracking, and linkages. The systems can be optimized at a low cost for most effectively performing surgical procedures, while reusing the more costly components of the system, e.g. the control, driving, and tracking systems. The system and method may utilize MRI real time guidance during the above procedures.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 6, 2017Publication date: February 22, 2018Inventors: Gregory S. Fischer, Gregory A. Cole, Julie G. Pilitsis
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Patent number: 9844414Abstract: A system and method for image guided assisted medical procedures using modular units, such that a controller, under the direction of a computer and imaging device, can be utilized to drive and track low cost, purpose specific manipulators. The system utilizes modular actuators, self tracking, and linkages. The system can be optimized at a low cost for most effectively performing surgical procedures, while reusing the more costly components of the system, e.g. the control, driving, and tracking systems. The system and method may utilize MRI real time guidance during the above procedures.Type: GrantFiled: August 31, 2010Date of Patent: December 19, 2017Inventors: Gregory S. Fischer, Gregory A. Cole, Julie G. Pilitsis
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Publication number: 20170325906Abstract: A surgical head clamp and robotics platform secures a head of a patient and positions an instrument relative to the head for a medical procedure. The head clamp and robotics platform comprises a planar C-shaped frame for at least partially encircling the head of a patient. An instrument arm is mounted is to a free distal end of one arm member of the frame. The instrument arm extends away from the arm member in a direction transverse to the plane of the frame. The instrument arm includes a base mounted to the arm member for movement along three degrees of freedom relative to the frame, a proximal portion extending from and pivotally connected to the base, and a distal instrument holder extending from and pivotally connected to the proximal portion. The instrument arm functions to selectively position the instrument in an angular position relative to the head clamp.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 24, 2017Publication date: November 16, 2017Inventors: Benjamin Piecuch, Dino Kasvikis, Perry A. Genova, Gregory S. Fischer
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Publication number: 20160310055Abstract: A surgical instrument may be configured to sense a light re-emitting probe to resolve tissue oxygenation, the surgical instrument including: an optical emitter configured to excite the light re-emitting probe within an absorption band of the light re-emitting probe; an optical detector configured to receive the re-emitted light from the probe; and a signal processor configured to resolve the tissue oxygenation based on the received light. The surgical instrument can be a surgical stapler anvil or a flexible substrate having a tissue interfacing surface. Further, a monitoring device may be configured to map oxygenation of a tissue containing a light re-emitting probe, the monitoring device including: an optical emitter configured to excite the light re-emitting probe; at least one optical detector configured to receive the re-emitted light from the probe; and a signal processor that is configured to resolve the tissue oxygenation at multiple points to generate an oxygen map.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 6, 2016Publication date: October 27, 2016Applicant: SURGISENSE CORPORATIONInventors: Jason M. ZAND, Gregory S. FISCHER