Abstract: A surgical apparatus comprising: a surgical instrument manipulator assembly comprising: a housing; a clutch button mounted in the housing; and a preload assembly including an emergency instrument release button, wherein the clutch button and the emergency instrument release button are the only user operated buttons of the surgical instrument manipulator assembly.

Abstract: A surgical support system, comprising: a manipulator arm assembly in control communication with a surgeon console so as to receive control signals from the surgeon console, the manipulator arm assembly comprising: a first manipulator link extending between opposite ends; a drape guide lip extending from one end of the opposite ends of the first actively controlled manipulator link; and a second manipulator link coupled to the first manipulator link wherein the second manipulator link comprises a plurality of instrument manipulator assemblies configured to couple with and transmit force to a medical instrument, wherein the second manipulator link is configured to move relative to the first manipulator link and under the drape guide lip, wherein the drape guide lip is a barrier between contact of a first drape portion covering the second manipulator link with a second drape portion covering the first manipulator link.

Abstract: A medical instrument includes a backend and a pair of release elements. The backend includes a docking feature shaped to engage a docking structure such as a docking port of a surgical robot or a sterile adaptor for a surgical robot. Each release element is coupled to the backend and may include an activation feature on one side of the backend and a push tab extending from either an opposite side or the same side of the backend. Movement of the activation features moves the push tabs from being aligned with the docking feature to pushing on the docking structure, permitting the medical instrument to be disengaged from the docking structure. Optionally, a coupling of the release elements limits a movement of the activation features.

Abstract: A surgical system comprises a sterile adapter assembly comprising a mechanical surgical instrument removal lockout and a mechanical sterile adapter assembly removal lockout. The mechanical sterile adapter assembly removal lockout is activated on a condition of a surgical instrument mounted in the sterile adapter assembly. The mechanical surgical instrument removal lockout is activated by a surgical instrument manipulator assembly on a condition of the surgical instrument being mounted in the sterile adapter assembly and movement of the surgical instrument manipulator assembly by a predetermined distance.

Abstract: A cinch assembly affixed to a surgical drape may include at least two pairs of links connected by a hinge joint, with each link foldable relative to one another about the hinge joint between an unfolded configuration and a folded configuration. A portion of the surgical drape may be in an extended configuration when the pairs of links are in the unfolded configuration and may be in a gathered configuration when the pairs of links are in the folded configuration. The cinch assembly may further include at least two alignment and attachment element assemblies including first and second attachment elements configured to align with and engage with first and second complementary attachment elements of equipment of a surgical system.

Abstract: A sterile drape comprises a plurality of sleeves and a plurality of sterile adapters each at a distal end of a corresponding drape sleeve. Each sterile adapter includes a housing configured to receive a distal face of an instrument manipulator having a plurality of manipulator actuator outputs, a membrane interface at a distal end of the housing that includes a plurality of actuator interfaces, and a pair of supports coupled to the housing to retain a surgical instrument having a plurality of instrument actuator inputs so that the plurality of instrument actuator inputs are opposite to corresponding manipulator actuator outputs with a corresponding actuator interface between each corresponding instrument actuator input and manipulator actuator output. Each sterile adapter also comprises a rotatable seal adapted to couple a proximal opening of each drape sleeve to a rotatable element at a distal end of the manipulator arm.

Abstract: A medical instrument includes a backend and a pair of release elements. The backend includes a docking feature shaped to engage a docking structure such as a docking port of a surgical robot or a sterile adaptor for a surgical robot. Each release element is coupled to the backend and may include an activation feature on one side of the backend and a push tab extending from either an opposite side or the same side of the backend. Movement of the activation features moves the push tabs from being aligned with the docking feature to pushing on the docking structure, permitting the medical instrument to be disengaged from the docking structure. Optionally, a coupling of the release elements limits a movement of the activation features.

Abstract: A surgical system includes a surgical instrument that is sensitive to backlash that would adversely affect the transmission of controlled torque and position to the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument is coupled to motors in a surgical instrument manipulator assembly via a mechanical interface. The combination of the mechanical interface and surgical instrument manipulator assembly have low backlash, e.g., less than 0.7 degrees. The backlash is controlled in the surgical instrument manipulator assembly. From the drive output disk in the surgical instrument manipulator assembly to the driven disk of the surgical instrument, the mechanical interface has zero backlash for torque levels used in surgical procedures.

Abstract: A method includes while a surgical instrument is in an installed state at a patient side cart of the teleoperated surgical system, engaging an electrosurgical energy transmission conduit with an electrical connector feature of the surgical instrument by inserting a portion of the electrosurgical energy transmission conduit into a receptacle in a housing of the surgical instrument. In response to engaging the electrosurgical energy transmission conduit with the connector feature of the surgical instrument, transitioning a mechanism in the housing from a first state indicating an electrically disconnected condition of the electrosurgical energy transmission conduit with the connector feature of the surgical instrument to a second state indicating the electrically connected condition of the electrosurgical energy transmission conduit with electrical the connector feature; and detecting, using a sensor system, the transitioning of the mechanism from the first state to the second state.

Abstract: A method includes receiving at a controller of a teleoperated surgical system a first signal indicating that a surgical instrument is in an installed position at a patient side cart of the teleoperated surgical system, receiving at the controller a second signal indicating that the surgical instrument is in a flux connection state, and outputting a signal via the controller to provide feedback indicating that the surgical instrument is in the flux connection state.

Abstract: A drape includes a first drape portion configured to receive a manipulator arm of a surgical system and a pocket coupled to a distal portion of the first drape portion. The pocket is configured to receive a manipulator of the surgical system. The pocket includes a flexible membrane positionable between an output of the manipulator and an input of a surgical instrument mountable to the manipulator. In some embodiments, the flexible membrane is located at a distal end of the pocket. In some embodiments, the flexible membrane is configured to allow an actuating force to be transmitted from the output of the manipulator to the input of the surgical instrument. In some embodiments, the pocket provides a sterile barrier between the manipulator and the surgical instrument. In some embodiments, the drape further includes a rotatable seal configured to couple a proximal opening of the pocket to the first drape portion.

Abstract: A surgical system includes a surgical instrument that is sensitive to backlash that would adversely affect the transmission of controlled torque and position to the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument is coupled to motors in a surgical instrument manipulator assembly via a mechanical interface. The combination of the mechanical interface and surgical instrument manipulator assembly have low backlash, e.g., less than 0.7 degrees. The backlash is controlled in the surgical instrument manipulator assembly. From the drive output disk in the surgical instrument manipulator assembly to the driven disk of the surgical instrument, the mechanical interface has zero backlash for torque levels used in surgical procedures.

Abstract: A method of operating a manipulator arm comprising a manipulator interface configured to removably couple with and transmit actuation force to a medical instrument includes mounting a cannula to a cannula mount coupled to the manipulator arm; mounting a medical instrument to the manipulator interface; inserting a shaft of the medical instrument through an entry guide mounted to the cannula; rotating the manipulator interface and the medical instrument relative to the cannula mount; and rotating the entry guide relative to the cannula mount about a longitudinal axis of the cannula.

Abstract: Techniques for controlling a manipulator assembly include one or more actuators coupled to drive the manipulator assembly to move at least a portion of the manipulator assembly and a controller. The controller is configured to cause the one or more actuators to hold the portion at a first position in a sequence of predetermined positions; detect that the portion has been moved from the first position due to a disturbance; in response to the detection that the portion has been moved from the first position, cause the one or more actuators to move the portion toward a second position in the sequence of predetermined positions until a stop condition is detected, even if the disturbance ends before the portion reaches the second position; and cause the one or more actuators to hold the portion at the second position, when the portion has reached the second position.

Abstract: A sterile adapter retaining device for mounting a surgical drape to a surgical drape installation aid comprises a body having a central portion and plurality of legs extending radially from the central portion. Each leg of the plurality of legs is configured to receive mounted thereon a respective instrument sterile adapter of a plurality of instrument sterile adapters attached to a surgical drape. The body is configured to fit within an interior volume of a surgical drape installation aid in a state of the plurality of instrument sterile adapters mounted on the plurality of legs.

Abstract: A surgical system comprises a base, an arm assembly operably coupled to the base, and an instrument manipulator assembly coupled to a distal link of the arm assembly. The instrument manipulator assembly comprises an instrument manipulator interface to removably couple with a medical instrument and transfer actuation forces to the medical instrument. The instrument manipulator interface comprises a mounting surface and a plurality of actuator outputs to operably engage with respectively corresponding inputs of the medical instrument. The actuator outputs extend from the mounting surface along directions substantially parallel to a shaft of the medical instrument in a mounted state of the medical instrument to the instrument manipulator interface. In the mounted state of the medical instrument, the instrument manipulator interface and medical instrument are rotatable together about a roll axis of rotation relative to the distal link of the arm assembly.

Abstract: Techniques for controlling a moveable component include a moveable component and a controller. The controller is configured to control motion of the moveable component according to a state machine comprising a first and second state. In the first state, the controller holds the moveable component at a current position. The controller transitions the state machine from the first state to the second state in response to detecting a displacement of the moveable component, due to a disturbance, from the current position for longer than a first predetermined duration of time. In the second state, the controller commands the moveable component to perform a motion. The controller remains in the second state until a stop condition is detected, even if the disturbance ends before the stop condition is detected. The controller transitions the state machine from the second state to the first state in response to detecting the stop condition.

Abstract: Techniques for automated engagement and disengagement of a preload include a computer-assisted apparatus. The computer-assisted apparatus includes an instrument manipulator assembly including a preload assembly and a controller coupled to the instrument manipulator assembly. The controller is configured to move the instrument manipulator assembly to a fully withdrawn position and command the preload assembly to engage a preload. In some embodiments, engaging the preload causes the preload assembly to assert a preload force on a motor pack of the instrument manipulator assembly. In some embodiments, the controller is further configured to move the instrument manipulator assembly to a home position after the preload is engaged.

Abstract: A sterile drape assembly for a surgical system can comprise a sterile drape and a cinch assembly affixed to the sterile drape. A surgical support system can include a manipulator arm assembly comprising a first manipulator link extending between opposite ends; a drape guide lip extending from one end of the opposite ends of the first actively controlled manipulator link; and a second manipulator link coupled to the first manipulator link wherein the drape guide lip is a barrier between contact of a first drape portion covering the second manipulator link with a second drape portion covering the first manipulator link.

Abstract: A computer-assisted system includes an instrument manipulator assembly including a preload assembly and a motor, an insertion assembly configured to control a position of the instrument manipulator assembly, and a motor controller coupled to the preload assembly. The motor controller is configured to actuate the preload assembly to control an amount of preload applied by the preload assembly to the motor and actuate the preload assembly to apply a low preload in response to detecting that a sterile adapter is mounted to the instrument manipulator assembly.