Abstract: A compliant surgical device such as a flexible entry guide employs tendons to operate or steer the device and attaches asymmetric or constant force spring systems to control tension in the tendons. As a result, the surgical device can be compliant and respond to external forces during a surgical procedure without rapidly springing back or otherwise causing a reaction that damages tissue. The compliance also permits manual positioning or shaping of the device during or before insertion for a surgical procedure without damaging the tendons or connections of the tendons within the device or to a backend mechanism.

Abstract: A surgical port feature may include a funnel portion, a tongue, a waist portion, and surgical instrument channels. The waist portion may be located between the funnel portion and the tongue. The surgical instrument channels may extend from the funnel portion through the waist portion. The surgical port feature may further include a second tongue, with the wait portion being located between the funnel portion, the tongue, and the second tongue.

Abstract: A radiation finder tool assists in locating tissue of interest within a patient. The radiation finder tool includes a body and a plurality of radiation detectors. The body has a distal end, a proximal end. A lengthwise axis of the radiation finder tool extends between the proximal end and the distal end of the body. The plurality of radiation detectors is oriented serially along the lengthwise axis, e.g., stacked one after the other along the lengthwise axis. Each radiation detector of the plurality of radiation detectors has a different field of view for radiation detected by that radiation detector. Each field of view of the plurality of radiation detectors has the lengthwise axis at its center.

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: A system comprises a processor and a memory having computer readable instructions stored thereon. The computer readable instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the system to display a surgical environment image. The surgical environment image includes a virtual control element for controlling a component of a surgical system. The virtual control element includes a real-time image of the component of the surgical system in the surgical environment image. The computer readable instructions also cause the system to display an image of a body part of a user used to interact with the virtual control element, receive a gesture of the body part of the user in a predetermined motion via a gesture based input device, and adjust a setting of the component of the surgical system based on the received gesture.

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 system comprises a teleoperated manipulator, a manually operated instrument, and a position sensor coupled to the manually operated instrument. The position sensor is configured to generate pose information for the manually operated instrument. The system further comprises a controller configured to map a pose of the manipulator to a fixed world reference frame based on three-dimensional pose information for the manipulator known internally within the system. The controller is further configured to map a pose of the manually operated instrument to the fixed world reference frame based on the pose information for the manually operated instrument.

Abstract: A method comprises displaying a surgical environment image. The surgical environment image includes a virtual control element for controlling a component of a surgical system, and the virtual control element includes a real-time image of the component of the surgical system in the surgical environment image. The method further comprises displaying an image of a body part of a user. The body part is used to interact with the virtual control element. The method further comprises receiving a gesture of the body part of the user in a predetermined motion, via a gesture based input device registering movement of the body part of the user, while the body part interacts with the virtual control element. The method further comprises adjusting a setting of the component of the surgical system based on the received gesture.

Abstract: A surgical tool having an elongated shaft having a proximal end and distal end. A surgical end effector is located about the distal end. The surgical end effector has a plurality of effector mechanisms comprising a plurality of degree of freedoms. An effector body is located at the proximal end. The effector body includes a plurality of motor interfaces for driving the plurality of effector mechanisms. A transmission is coupled to the effector body.

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 system comprises a teleoperated manipulator, a manually operated surgical instrument coupled to the teleoperated manipulator, a teleoperated surgical instrument coupled to the teleoperated manipulator, and a shape sensor comprising a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the shape sensor is coupled to a proximal end of a cannula, and the second portion of the shape sensor is coupled to the manually operated surgical instrument. The shape sensor is configured to provide a sensor input to a controller, and the sensor input comprises information representing an insertion depth of the manually operated surgical instrument into the cannula.

Abstract: A surgical tool having an elongated shaft having a proximal end and distal end. A surgical end effector is located about the distal end. The surgical end effector has a plurality of effector mechanisms comprising a plurality of degree of freedoms. An effector body is located at the proximal end. The effector body includes a plurality of motor interfaces for driving the plurality of effector mechanisms. A transmission is coupled to the effector body.

Abstract: A teleoperational system receives a movement command in response to movement of an input device, in response to determining an instrument is being controlled based on the movement of the input device, maps the movement command to a first movement of the instrument in an instrument frame using a first mapping, and in response to determining a tissue probe is being controlled based on the movement of the input device, maps the movement command to a second movement of the tissue probe in a tissue probe frame using a second mapping. The first mapping maps motion in an input direction in the input frame to an instrument direction in the instrument frame. The second mapping maps motion in the input direction to a tissue probe direction in the tissue probe frame. The instrument direction corresponding with the input direction. The tissue probe direction not corresponding with the input direction.

Abstract: A teleoperational medical system comprises an input device and a manipulator configured to couple with and move an instrument. The system also comprises a control system including one or more processors. In response to a determination that the instrument is inserted into an instrument workspace in a corresponding direction to a field of view of the workspace, the control system is configured to map movement of the input device to movement of the instrument according to a first mapping. In response to a determination that the instrument is inserted into the instrument workspace in a non-corresponding direction to the field of view, the control system is configured to map movement of the input device to movement of the instrument according to a second mapping. The second mapping includes an inversion of the first mapping for at least one direction of motion of the instrument.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing surgical procedures is disclosed including a flexible entry guide tube and a first steering device. The guide tube has one or more lumens extending along its length from a proximal end to substantially at or near a distal end. At least one of the one or more lumens is an instrument lumen with open ends to receive a flexible shaft of a surgical tool. The first steering device is insertable into the instrument lumen to shape the guide tube as it is inserted through an opening in a body and along a path towards a surgical site. The apparatus may further include a flexible locking device to couple to the flexible entry guide tube and selectively rigidize the guide tube to hold its shape. The guide tube may be steered by remote control with one or more actuators.

Abstract: An instrument manipulator and a robotic surgical system including an instrument manipulator are provided. In one embodiment, an instrument manipulator includes a plurality of independent actuator drive modules, each of the plurality of actuator drive modules including an actuator output, wherein each of the actuator outputs are configured to independently actuate a corresponding actuator input of a surgical instrument without force input from another actuator output. The instrument manipulator further includes a frame housing the plurality of independent actuator drive modules, the frame including a distal end from which each of the actuator outputs distally protrude for engaging the corresponding actuator inputs of the surgical instrument.

Abstract: A shaft for a surgical instrument comprises an outer tube having a proximal end and a distal end, a central lumen extending through the outer tube, and a plurality of stiffening rods positioned around the central lumen. The plurality of stiffening rods may comprise a nonconductive material. The shaft may form part of an electrosurgical instrument. In another embodiment, a surgical instrument may comprise an end effector and a shaft having an outer tube having a proximal end and a distal end, a drive rod, and at least four stiffening rods positioned around the drive rod, each stiffening rod being positioned substantially immediately adjacent to the drive rod. The axial stiffness of the shaft increases incrementally during actuation of the end effector.

Abstract: A computer-assisted medical system includes a manipulator arm and an instrument holder physically coupled to the manipulator arm. The instrument holder is configured to releasably couple to an instrument. The instrument holder includes an adjustable assembly and a cannula clamp physically coupled to the adjustable assembly. A physical adjustment of the adjustable assembly moves the cannula clamp relative to the manipulator arm. The cannula clamp is configured to releasably couple to a cannula configured to receive the instrument.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a flexible entry guide tube comprising one or more lumens, wherein at least one lumen is an instrument lumen; and a rigidizing cable to lock a shape of the guide tube within a body cavity with a distal end of the guide tube near a medical site. The rigidizing cable can steer the guide tube. The apparatus comprises a flexible tool insertable into the instrument lumen. The tool can perform a medical procedure near the distal end of the guide tube. The tool comprises an end effector, a steerable tip portion, and a steering cable for steering the tip portion. While the tip portion remains within the instrument lumen, articulation of the tip portion causes corresponding articulation of a distal portion of the guide tube. The tool can extend away from the distal end while the shape of the guide tube is locked by the rigidizing cable.

Abstract: A stiffening assembly comprises an outer tube including a longitudinal axis, an inner tube extending along the longitudinal axis, and a plurality of laminar elements between the outer tube and the inner tube and separate from the outer tube and the inner tube. The stiffening assembly is adjustable between a flexible state in which each laminar element of the plurality of laminar elements is movable and a stiffened state in which an applied vacuum clamps the plurality of laminar elements between the outer and inner tubes such that a transfer of forces between the plurality of laminar elements stiffens the stiffening assembly. At least one laminar element of the plurality of laminar elements has a different thickness than at least another laminar element of the plurality of laminar elements.