Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for a steerable medical device, configured to be used in conjunction with guide tools and devices in medical procedures, including endoscopes, cameras, cutting tools and catheters.

Abstract: A method of performing a percutaneous multi-probe treatment includes: acquiring a scan image of an object to be treated with multi-probe percutaneous insertions; determining a first point in a region of interest (ROI) in the scan image; determining a second point at a surface of the object in the scan image; generating a reference trajectory by connecting the first point and the second point; arranging, around the first point, a number of third points corresponding to tips of probes to be inserted into the object; generating planned insertion trajectories for the probes based on the number of probes to be inserted and the reference trajectory; and causing a monitor to display superposed on the scan image, at least one of the planned insertion trajectories. The planned insertion trajectories extend in a geometric relationship to the reference trajectory and pass through the third points and through one or more second points.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and system for a steerable medical instrument, configured to be used in conjunction with guided tools and devices under robotically controller medical procedures, including endoscopes, cameras, cutting tools and catheters. In one embodiment, the steerable instrument includes an elongate body (100), a control wire (110) arranged in a channel (104) of the elongate body and displaceable along the channel to bend the elongate body; and a controller (320) to selectively control drive forces applied to the control wire (110) under an actively controlled mode and a passively controlled mode. In the actively controlled mode, the controller actively bends at least part of the elongate body. In the passively controlled mode, the controller (320) decreases an amount of strain or an amount of displacement of the control wire, so that the control wire becomes compliant to external forces.

Abstract: The subject disclosure is directed to an articulated medical device in communication with a ventilator, used for regulating breathing patterns in a subject, wherein the articulated medical device may be advanced or retracted during repeatable breathing cycles, so as to reduce the possibility of abrasion to the lungs.

Abstract: A method of performing a percutaneous multi-probe treatment includes: acquiring a scan image of an object to be treated with multi-probe percutaneous insertions; determining a first point in a region of interest (ROI) in the scan image; determining a second point at a surface of the object in the scan image; generating a reference trajectory by connecting the first point and the second point; arranging, around the first point, a number of third points corresponding to tips of probes to be inserted into the object; generating planned insertion trajectories for the probes based on the number of probes to be inserted and the reference trajectory; and causing a monitor to display superposed on the scan image, at least one of the planned insertion trajectories. The planned insertion trajectories extend in a geometric relationship to the reference trajectory and pass through the third points and through one or more second points.

Abstract: Exemplary relates to medical devices and in particular to a tool placement manipulator with multiple rotary guides and rotation bodies, the rotation bodies being free rotationally to the ring shaped rotary guides and rotational axis of the first rotary guide being slanted with respect to the rotational axis of the second rotary guide. The tool placement manipulator has at least one socket and at least one transmission element that transmits torques from the socket to rotation bodies.

Abstract: A method of performing a percutaneous multi-probe treatment includes: acquiring a scan image of an object to be treated with multi-probe percutaneous insertions; determining a first point in a region of interest (ROI) in the scan image; determining a second point at a surface of the object in the scan image; generating a reference trajectory by connecting the first point and the second point; arranging, around the first point, a number of third points corresponding to tips of probes to be inserted into the object; generating planned insertion trajectories for the probes based on the number of probes to be inserted and the reference trajectory; and causing a monitor to display superposed on the scan image, at least one of the planned insertion trajectories. The planned insertion trajectories extend in a geometric relationship to the reference trajectory and pass through the third points and through one or more second points.

Abstract: A medical guidance apparatus includes a base assembly including a base ring having an inner circumference defining an opening; and a guide rotateably mateable with the base assembly, the guide including: a frame comprising: an inner circumference defining an opening; and an outer circumference, wherein, in a configuration where the guide is mated with the base assembly, the opening of the frame overlays the opening of the base ring; a gap extending from the inner circumference of the frame to the outer circumference of the frame; and an arc member including a first end integrally formed with the frame and a second end integrally formed with the frame, wherein the first end of the arc member is diametrically opposed to the second end of the arc member.

Abstract: Exemplary relates to medical devices and in particular to a tool placement manipulator with multiple rotary guides and rotation bodies, the rotation bodies being free rotationally to the ring shaped rotary guides and rotational axis of the first rotary guide being slanted with respect to the rotational axis of the second rotary guide. The tool placement manipulator has at least one socket and at least one transmission element that transmits torques from the socket to rotation bodies.

Abstract: A sound absorbing body comprises a non-woven fabric or a non-woven fabric laminate, the non-woven fabric or the non-woven fabric laminate comprises a fiber that has an average fiber diameter of less than 3,000 nm, the non-woven fabric or the non-woven fabric laminate has a thickness of less than 10 mm, the non-woven fabric or the non-woven fabric laminate has a unit thickness flow resistance of greater than 4.0 E+06 Ns/m4 and less than 5.0 E+08 Ns/m4, and the non-woven fabric or the non-woven fabric laminate has a bulk density of greater than 70 kg/m3 and less than 750 kg/m3.

Abstract: A medical guidance apparatus (100) includes a base assembly (110) configured to be attached to a subject and a guide (150) configured to be removably mated with the base assembly (110). The base assembly (110) has an opening (160), and the guide (150) includes a rotatable ring (152) and an arc member (154). The arc member (154) includes a first end (162) and a second end (164), the first end of the arc member is connected to the rotatable ring (152) and the second end extends diametrically opposite to the first end across the rotatable ring. A probe holder (600) is mounted on the arc member (154) so as to hold a needle-like instrument (2161) at a desired angle relative to an axis (Ax) of the rotatable ring (152). In some embodiments, the arc member is monolithically integrated with the rotatable ring. In other embodiments, the arc member is pivotable and/or completely removable from the rotating ring.

Abstract: Provided are both a flexible printed board, in which heat dissipation performance can be improved in without using an aluminum heal dissipating material, which is light in weight, has good processability and can be reduced in cost, and a method for manufacturing such a flexible printed board. The flexible printed board is a flexible printed board 10 on which a power consuming load is mounted, including: a front surface heat dissipation layer 30 made of a copper foil and having a circuit portion on which the load is mounted; a thermally conductive resin layer 20 having the front surface heat dissipation layer 30 laminated to a front surface side thereof and having a thermal conductivity of 0.49 W/mK or more; and a rear surface heat dissipation layer made of a copper foil, laminated to a rear surface side of the thermally conductive resin layer 20, and having a thickness of 100 to 400% with respect to the front surface heat dissipation layer 30.

Abstract: A method including substituting an atmosphere in a space, in which a sliding surface formed of a metal or a ceramic material, and a slid surface are disposed, with a gas atmosphere containing a hydroxyl group-containing compound and at least one of hydrogen and nitrogen, and relatively sliding the sliding surface against the slid surface by a Hertzian contact stress of 1.0 GPa or more in the space under the gas atmosphere containing the hydroxyl group-containing compound at least one of hydrogen and nitrogen. As a result, it is possible to form, on the sliding surface, a low-friction coating that stably exhibits a significantly low friction coefficient, for example, of 10?4 order (less than 0.001).

Abstract: Exemplary methods, apparatus, and systems are provided for automated detection and registration of medical images using fiducial markers and processing algorithms. By either clustering fiducial markers having a different number, size, shape, configuration, or material property or by using fiducial markers arranged in a ring shape, wherein their arrangement is asymmetric, and then applying a feature extraction to extract the fiducial marker objects, and registering the fiducial marker objects with a model of the fiducial frame, automatic registration can be achieved.

Abstract: A method including substituting an atmosphere in a space, in which a sliding surface formed of a metal or a ceramic material, and a slid surface are disposed, with a gas atmosphere containing a hydroxyl group-containing compound and at least one of hydrogen and nitrogen, and relatively sliding the sliding surface against the slid surface by a Hertzian contact stress of 1.0 GPa or more in the space under the gas atmosphere containing the hydroxyl group-containing compound at least one of hydrogen and nitrogen. As a result, it is possible to form, on the sliding surface, a low-friction coating that stably exhibits a significantly low friction coefficient, for example, of 10?4 order (less than 0.001).

Abstract: To prevent a medical apparatus such as an endoscope or an electrophysiological catheter that includes an insertion portion to be inserted into the body of a patient from breaking at any unexpected positions. A medical apparatus includes a bendably deformable portion, a deforming-force-transmitting mechanism that is connected to a part of the bendably deformable portion, and an operation portion that applies a deforming force or a shape retaining force to the bendably deformable portion by controlling a tension applied to the deforming-force-transmitting mechanism. The deforming-force-transmitting mechanism includes a tension reducing mechanism.

Abstract: A low-friction coating includes: an aliphatic hydrocarbon group showing a peak in a region of 2,900 cm?1 to 3000 cm?1 in an infrared absorption spectrum; a carbonyl group showing a peak in a region of 1,650 cm?1 to 1,800 cm?1 in an infrared absorption spectrum; an aromatic component (C7H7+) showing a peak at mass 91.1 in a positive ion spectrum obtained by TOF-SIMS; and a condensed ring based component (C9H7+) showing a peak at mass 115.2 in the positive ion spectrum obtained by TOF-SIMS.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media are provided. Some embodiments include obtaining image data of a subject and a medical device, the medical device including fiducial markers, wherein the image data includes three-dimensional image data. Information is generated representing a three-dimensional shape based on a planned insertion point for performing a medical procedure. A cropping process is applied to the image data to generate cropped image data based on the three-dimensional shape. In some embodiments, the cropped image data includes image data of at least two of the fiducial markers. Fiducial marker objects are detected within the cropped image data, and the fiducial marker objects are registered by matching a model of the fiducial markers with the fiducial marker objects.

Abstract: A positioning apparatus including a needle holder having a through hole for regulating needle placement and movement, a needle positioning unit, and an engagement member that fixes a position of the needle holder with respect to the needle positioning unit. The needle holder is either least partially detachably attached to the needle positioning unit or deformable. The positioning apparatus may be designed to accommodate the placement of multiple needles.

Abstract: A method and system for motion tracking of a target organ are provided. A tracking needle is partially inserted into an organ. The needle has a sensor element for obtaining continuous needle orientation information which can be used to determine organ motion due to respiration during percutaneous needle insertion.