Abstract: A teleoperated system comprises a display, a master input device, and a control system. The control system is configured to determine an orientation of an end effector reference frame relative to a field of view reference frame, determine an orientation of a master input device reference frame relative to a display reference frame, establish an alignment relationship between the master input device reference frame and the display reference frame, and command, based on the alignment relationship, a change in a pose of the end effector in response to a change in a pose of the master input device. The alignment relationship is independent of a position relationship between the master input device reference frame and the display reference frame. In one aspect, the teleoperated system is a telemedical system such as a telesurgical system.

Abstract: A surgical module is supported by manipulators that are removably attached to the surgical module. The surgical module may enable operation of surgical tools by providing an integration between actuating mechanisms of the manipulators and actuating mechanisms of the surgical tools. Alternatively or additionally, the surgical module may enable operation of the surgical tools by providing physical access for deploying surgical tools that are operatively connected to the manipulators.

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: A minimally invasive surgical instrument includes a first mechanism including a periphery and an opening in the periphery, a second mechanism including a surface and a helical slot in the surface, a pin extending through the opening of the first mechanism and into the helical slot of the second mechanism, and a surgical device coupled to an end of the first mechanism. A first axial axis of rotation is defined for the first mechanism. A second axial axis of rotation is defined for the second mechanism. The second axial axis of rotation is coincident with the first axial axis of rotation. Rotation of the first mechanism relative to the second mechanism results in motion of the second mechanism along the second axial access of rotation relative to the first mechanism.

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: A method comprises obtaining an endoscopic image dataset of a patient anatomy from an endoscopic imaging system and retrieving an anatomic model dataset of the patient anatomy obtained by an anatomic imaging system. The method also comprises mapping the endoscopic image dataset to the anatomic model dataset and displaying a first vantage point image using the mapped endoscopic image dataset. The first vantage point image is presented from a first vantage point at a distal end of the endoscopic imaging system. The method also comprises displaying a second vantage point image using at least a portion of the mapped endoscopic image dataset. The second vantage point image is presented from a second vantage point, different from the first vantage point.

Abstract: A synthetic representation of a robot tool for display on a user interface of a robotic system. The synthetic representation may be used to show the position of a view volume of an image capture device with respect to the robot. The synthetic representation may also be used to find a tool that is outside of the field of view, to display range of motion limits for a tool, to remotely communicate information about the robot, and to detect collisions.

Abstract: A robotic system includes a processor that is programmed to determine and cause work site measurements for user specified points in the work site to be graphically displayed in order to provide geometrically appropriate tool selection assistance to the user. The processor is also programmed to determine an optimal one of a plurality of tools of varying geometries for use at the work site and to cause graphical representations of at least the optimal tool to be displayed along with the work site measurements.

Abstract: A method is provided to produce a multi-modality image of a surgical scene comprising: capture light reflected from the surgical scene; producting first image information corresponding to a first modality image; producing second image information corresponding to a second modality image; selecting a portion of the second image modality based at least in part upon anatomical structure information included within the selected portion; and producing simultaneously within a display at least a portion of the first modality image of the surgical scene and the selected portion of the second modality image.

Abstract: The systems and methods of the present disclosure are used for guiding a medical instrument towards a target, the method positioning a medical instrument at a first location within a patient anatomy, wherein the medical instrument comprises at least one sensor, determining a first biomarker measurement using the at least one sensor, determining a second biomarker measurement using the at least one sensor, comparing the first biomarker measurement with the second biomarker measurement to determine a proximity to the target to provide a first comparison, and providing guidance for moving the medical instrument based on results of the first comparison.

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: A device includes a first mechanism having a surface and a helical slot in the surface, a second mechanism having a periphery and an axial slot in the periphery, and an insert comprising a pin. The second mechanism is located within the first mechanism. The insert is located within the second mechanism. The pin extends from the insert through the axial slot of the second mechanism and into the helical slot of the first mechanism. The insert is configured to couple to an instrument. In some embodiments, the insert is configured to move the instrument in a degree of freedom in response to the second mechanism being held stationary and the first mechanism being rotated. In some embodiments, the degree of freedom is an insertion and retraction degree of freedom.

Abstract: A minimally invasive system comprises an elongate medical instrument including a lumen; an elongate, flexible stylet removably receivable within the lumen; a sensor system coupled to the stylet, the sensor system configured to detect characteristics of at least a portion of the elongate medical instrument; and a processor. The processor comprises an error detection module configured to receive the detected characteristics from the sensor system; compare the detected characteristics with expected characteristics of at least the portion of the elongate medical instrument; and notify a user of a deviation between the detected characteristics and the expected characteristics. The processor further comprises a path planning module configured to intraoperatively generate, based on a shape of at least the portion of the elongate medical instrument detected by the sensor system, a target trajectory for continuing advancement of the elongate medical instrument within a patient anatomy.

Abstract: A method and system for hand tracking in a robotic system includes a hand tracking system and a controller coupled to the hand tracking system. The controller is configured to receive, from the hand tracking system, a plurality of locations of a hand; determine if the hand is in a first hand pose based on the plurality of locations; in response to determining that the hand is in the first hand pose, and switch the robotic system to a hand trajectory detection mode. While in the hand trajectory detection mode, the control unit is configured to detect, based on hand tracking information from the hand tracking system, that the hand has performed a first hand trajectory of a plurality of known hand trajectories; and in response to detecting the first hand trajectory, change a mode of operation of the robotic system.

Abstract: A robotic system includes a processor that is programmed to determine and cause work site measurements for user specified points in the work site to be graphically displayed in order to provide geometrically appropriate tool selection assistance to the user. The processor is also programmed to determine an optimal one of a plurality of tools of varying geometries for use at the work site and to cause graphical representations of at least the optimal tool to be displayed along with the work site measurements.

Abstract: An operator telerobotically controls tools to perform a procedure on an object at a work site while viewing real-time images of the object, tools and work site on a display. Tool information is provided by filtering a part of the real-time images for enhancement or degradation to indicate a state of a tool and displaying the filtered images on the display.

Abstract: In a minimally invasive surgical system, a hand tracking system tracks a location of a sensor element mounted on part of a human hand. A system control parameter is generated based on the location of the part of the human hand. Operation of the minimally invasive surgical system is controlled using the system control parameter. Thus, the minimally invasive surgical system includes a hand tracking system. The hand tracking system tracks a location of part of a human hand. A controller coupled to the hand tracking system converts the location to a system control parameter, and injects into the minimally invasive surgical system a command based on the system control parameter.

Abstract: A teleoperational system comprises a teleoperational control system and a teleoperational manipulator configured for operating an instrument in an environment. The teleoperational system also comprises an operator controller in communication with the teleoperational control system. The teleoperational control system includes a processing unit including one or more processors. The processing unit is configured to determine whether an operator of the operator controller has a head portion directed toward a display region of a display device and based on a determination that the operator's head portion is directed toward the display region, initiate an operator following mode in which movement of the operator controller provides a corresponding movement to the teleoperational manipulator. The teleoperational system may be a teleoperational medical system.

Abstract: An operator telerobotically controls tools to perform a procedure on an object at a work site while viewing real-time images of the object, tools and work site on a display. Tool information is provided by filtering a part of the real-time images for enhancement or degradation to indicate a state of a tool and displaying the filtered images on the display.

Abstract: In a minimally invasive surgical system, a plurality of video images is acquired. Each image includes a hand pose image. Depth data for the hand pose image is also acquired or synthesized. The hand pose image is segmented from the image using the depth data. The segmented image is combined with an acquired surgical site image using the depth data. The combined image is displayed to a person at a surgeon's console of the minimally invasive surgical system. Processing each of the video images in the plurality video images in this way reproduces the hand gesture overlaid on the video of the surgical site in the display.