Abstract: A robotic surgery system comprises a mounting base, a plurality of surgical instruments, and an articulate support assembly. Each instrument is insertable into a patient through an associated minimally invasive aperture to a desired internal surgical site. The articulate support assembly movably supports the instruments relative to the base. The support generally comprises an orienting platform, a platform linkage movably supporting the orienting platform relative to the base, and a plurality of manipulators mounted to the orienting platform, wherein each manipulator movably supports an associated instrument.

Abstract: Embodiments of an actuated cannula seal are disclosed In some embodiments, a cannula seal includes a base portion that engages with a cannula; and a seal portion integrally formed with the base portion, the sealing portion capable of engaging with an instrument shaft, the sealing portion capable of being actuated by an actuator so that the sealing portion is continually in motion relative to the instrument shaft. The actuation of the sealing portion can be accomplished by rotation or vibration of the sealing portion relative to the instrument shaft.

Abstract: A medical instrument including a shaft and an actuated structure mounted at a distal end of the shaft can employ a pair of tendons connected to the actuated structure, extending down the shaft, and respectively wound around a capstan in opposite directions. A passive preload system may maintain minimum tensions in the tendons.

Abstract: A system may control an illuminator to illuminate a surgical site with non-white light and control a camera to capture light reflected from the surgical site. The camera may separate the captured light into a plurality of color components. The plurality of color components may be captured by the camera as a plurality of sets of pixels of a frame in a video stream, and each set of the plurality of sets of pixels may be in a different color channel of the camera. The system may further control, based on color component characteristics of the light captured by the camera, the illuminator to configure the non-white light such that each color channel of the camera has an about equal response to the light captured by the camera for a subsequently captured frame in the video stream.

Abstract: A surgical instrument includes a distal portion. A force sensor is operatively mounted on the distal portion. The force sensor includes a wireless package, which wirelessly provides (1) identification information of the surgical instrument and (2) strain data related to the distal portion. A surgical end effector includes a jaw and the distal portion is on a non-contact portion of the jaw. The wireless package includes a surface acoustic wave strain sensor with identification information. The wireless package also includes a small folded antenna electrically coupled to the surface acoustic wave strain sensor with identification information. The identification information includes an identification of a type of surgical instrument and unique identification of the specific surgical instrument in the type of surgical instrument.

Abstract: A robotic surgery system comprises a mounting base, a plurality of surgical instruments, and an articulate support assembly. Each instrument is insertable into a patient through an associated minimally invasive aperture to a desired internal surgical site. The articulate support assembly movably supports the instruments relative to the base. The support generally comprises an orienting platform, a platform linkage movably supporting the orienting platform relative to the base, and a plurality of manipulators mounted to the orienting platform, wherein each manipulator movably supports an associated instrument.

Abstract: Embodiments of an actuated cannula seal are disclosed In some embodiments, a cannula seal includes a base portion that engages with a cannula; and a seal portion integrally formed with the base portion, the sealing portion capable of engaging with an instrument shaft, the sealing portion capable of being actuated by an actuator so that the sealing portion is continually in motion relative to the instrument shaft. The actuation of the sealing portion can be accomplished by rotation or vibration of the sealing portion relative to the instrument shaft.

Abstract: A medical instrument including a shaft and an actuated structure mounted at a distal end of the shaft can employ a pair of tendons connected to the actuated structure, extending down the shaft, and respectively wound around a capstan in opposite directions. A passive preload system may maintain minimum tensions in the tendons.

Abstract: A minimally invasive medical instrument comprises an elongate flexible body comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, a transition portion between the proximal portion and the distal portion, and an inner sheath extending at least within the proximal portion. The inner sheath comprises a plurality of conduits extending through a wall of the inner sheath. A distal end of each conduit terminates at the transition portion. The flexible body further comprises a steerable tube extending within the distal portion. The steerable tube comprises a plurality of grooves in a wall of the steerable tube. The medical instrument further comprises at least one tendon extending from the proximal portion into the distal portion of the flexible body. In the proximal portion, the tendon extends through at least one conduit of the plurality of conduits. In the distal portion, the tendon extends within at least one groove of the plurality of grooves.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a surgical instrument includes a housing linkable with a manipulator arm of a robotic surgical system, a shaft operably coupled to the housing, a force transducer on a distal end of the shaft, and a plurality of fiber optic strain gauges on the force transducer. In one example, the plurality of strain gauges are operably coupled to a fiber optic splitter or an arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) multiplexer. A fiber optic connector is operably coupled to the fiber optic splitter or the AWG multiplexer. A wrist joint is operably coupled to a distal end of the force transducer, and an end effector is operably coupled to the wrist joint. In another embodiment, a robotic surgical manipulator includes a base link operably coupled to a distal end of a manipulator positioning system, and a distal link movably coupled to the base link, wherein the distal link includes an instrument interface and a fiber optic connector optically linkable to a surgical instrument.

Abstract: An apparatus may include an instrument including an elongated shaft and a shape sensor including an elongated optical fiber extending within the elongated shaft at a first radial distance from a neutral axis. The apparatus may also comprise a reference sensor disposed within the elongated shaft. The shape sensor may be fixed in a known first position relative to the reference sensor. The apparatus may also comprise a twist resistant feature disposed within the elongated shaft. The twist resistant feature may be coupled to the shape sensor to reduce twisting of the elongated optical fiber relative to the elongated shaft while permitting axial translation of the elongated optical fiber within the elongated shaft. The shape sensor may be coupled to the twist resistant feature at a known second position relative to the reference sensor.

Abstract: A system comprises a medical instrument including a nozzle and a lens. The system further comprises a valve configured to control provision of a pressurized fluid. The system further comprises a valve control mechanism and a control system. The control system is configured to determine, based on a position of the medical instrument within a patient anatomy, whether an obstruction is on a surface of the lens. The control system is further configured to, based on a determination that the obstruction is on the surface of the lens, instruct the valve control mechanism to open the valve to release a flow of the pressurized fluid through the nozzle and over the surface of the lens.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a force sensor apparatus is provided including a tube portion having a plurality of radial ribs and a strain gauge positioned over each of the plurality of radial ribs, a proximal end of the tube portion that operably couples to a shaft of a surgical instrument that operably couples to a manipulator arm of a robotic surgical system, and a distal end of the tube portion that proximally couples to a wrist joint coupled to an end effector.

Abstract: A system comprises a nozzle and a pressure augmenting mechanism connected to the nozzle. The pressure augmenting mechanism is configured to provide a pressurized fluid at a pressure that is higher than a standard operating room pressure. The system further comprises a valve between the pressure augmenting mechanism and the nozzle, the valve configured to control provision of the pressurized fluid from the pressure augmenting mechanism. The system further comprises a valve control mechanism and a control system configured to instruct the valve control mechanism to open the valve to release a flow of the pressurized fluid from the pressure augmenting mechanism through the nozzle and over a surface of a medical instrument. An amount of the flow of the pressurized fluid is determined based on a position of the medical instrument in a patient anatomy.

Abstract: An instrument comprises a flexible body comprising a proximal portion, a distal portion, and an inner sheath within the proximal portion. The inner sheath comprises a wall and a plurality of conduits extending through the wall within the proximal portion. A distal end of each conduit terminates proximal to the distal portion. The inner sheath further comprises a plurality of protrusions within the proximal portion. Each protrusion surrounds a portion of a corresponding conduit. The flexible body further comprises a steerable tube extending within the distal portion. The steerable tube comprises a wall and a plurality of grooves in the wall. The instrument further comprises a plurality of tendons extending from the proximal portion, beyond the distal ends of the plurality of conduits, and into the distal portion. In the proximal portion, each tendon extends through a corresponding conduit. In the distal portion, each tendon extends within a corresponding groove.

Abstract: A medical instrument tip for penetrating tissue may include a body having a diameter of less than 5 mm, and a blade having a plurality of faces and a plurality of cutting edges. At least one cutting edge may have a dihedral angle of less than 50 degrees. A medical instrument tip may be included in an ablation instrument that also includes a cable and a conductive antenna body coupled to the cable for delivering ablative energy to a target tissue.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a force sensor apparatus is provided including a tube portion having a plurality of radial ribs and a strain gauge positioned over each of the plurality of radial ribs, a proximal end of the tube portion that operably couples to a shaft of a surgical instrument that operably couples to a manipulator arm of a robotic surgical system, and a distal end of the tube portion that proximally couples to a wrist joint coupled to an end effector.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing a minimally invasive procedure within anatomic passageways include an outer catheter including one or more first lumens, a sealing device coupled to the outer catheter, an inner instrument configured to be slideably deployed through one of the one or more first lumens, and one or more first sensors for detecting bleeding wherein the one or more first sensors are configured to be positioned distal to the sealing device. In some embodiments, the outer catheter includes a fiber optic shape sensor. In some embodiments, the inner instrument includes a second lumen, wherein a working instrument is configured to be slideably received through the second lumen. In some embodiments, the inner instrument or the working instrument includes a dilation device for expanding an opening in a surface of the anatomic passageways at a point of entry. In some embodiments, the inner instrument includes a biopsy needle.

Abstract: A flexible tool includes an optical fiber including a proximal end, a distal end, an intermediate portion between the proximal end and the distal end and an adjustable bend between the proximal end and the intermediate portion. The intermediate portion may be constrained to have a single degree of freedom that is translational substantially along an axis defined by the optical fiber at the intermediate portion. The adjustable bend may be enclosed with a housing that provides space within the housing for the adjustable bend to adjust. The optical fiber may be used to provide shape sensing of the flexible tool.

Abstract: A medical instrument may comprise a flexible shaft and a sensing coil extending within the flexible shaft. The sensing coil may include an electrical conductor wound around a flexible core. The flexible core may comprise adjacent flexible pieces of magnetically permeable material that are configured to slide relative to each other in response to a bending of the flexible core.